The Comment That Ended Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott's Marriage

Spelling said she 'lost it' after hearing the statement.

By Ashley Turner

Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott officially called it quits in March 2024 after 18 years of marriage. The 51-year-old actress filed for divorce, marking the end of a tumultuous relationship that has been in the public eye for nearly two decades. Spelling, best known for her role in Beverly Hills, 90210, opened up about the pivotal moment that led to the dissolution of her marriage on her podcast, misSPELLING. "I just filed for divorce. Whoa, I just said the words that I've said in my head for, like, 16 years. Wild," Spelling shared on her podcast.

The actress revealed the shocking comment that served as the final straw in their relationship. During a heated argument in June 2023, McDermott, who had reportedly been drinking despite his sobriety efforts, exclaimed, "Ugh, I'm so sick of this. I have been picking up Tori Spelling's s—for 18 years." This statement, according to Spelling, was the moment she "f—ing lost it," signaling the end of their union.

The couple's relationship began unconventionally, with both parties cheating on their respective partners to be together. Spelling described their early days as a "fairytale romance," despite the morally questionable start. "Dean and I had this fairytale romance, even though we were both married when we met — not fairytale right there," Spelling admitted. "But we had other partners that we cheated on and left and then we got together."

However, she admitted that once they started having children, "our relationship was never the same." The focus shifted entirely to their kids, and Spelling acknowledged that she "kind of left him in a way."

Throughout their marriage, Spelling and McDermott welcomed five children: Liam (17), Stella (15), Hattie (12), Finn (11), and Beau (7). McDermott also has a son, Jack (24), from a previous relationship. The couple's large family became a central part of their public persona, often featured in reality TV shows and tabloid stories.

Despite the outward appearance of a happy family, Spelling confessed that she had been contemplating leaving the marriage for years. She recalled telling a friend that she would leave once her children could unbuckle their own car seats. However, she continued having more children, which prolonged the relationship.

The night of the fateful argument in June 2023 was notable for both Spelling and McDermott. Following the heated exchange, McDermott took to Instagram to announce the end of their marriage, a post he later deleted. In a November 2023 interview with the Daily Mail, McDermott shared his perspective on that night, calling it his "worst memory with Tori." He described it as the moment when he "saw the light, the final flicker of the flame go out in her eyes."

McDermott's struggles with substance abuse played a significant role in the breakdown of their marriage. In the same interview, he revealed that after the fight and his impulsive social media post, he "took some more pills, and I took six or seven Ambien in the hopes that I would not wake up." Fortunately, McDermott survived this apparent suicide attempt, feeling grateful for his survival. "Thank God I did. Thank God I did," he said. "Because I would've ruined so many lives if I had died."

Spelling officially filed for divorce in early 2024, citing irreconcilable differences. In the legal documents, she listed the date of separation as June 17, 2023 – the night of their explosive argument.

The divorce filing came as a surprise to many, as sources close to the couple had recently reported that they were "in a much better space." An insider told Entertainment Tonight earlier in the month that McDermott had been "taking care of himself" and was "more involved with their kids," suggesting that the family was "regrouping." However, this progress was short-lived, as evidenced by recent photos of the pair having an emotional confrontation at a storage unit, where Spelling was seen throwing a bag towards McDermott and crying in her car.

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On her podcast, Spelling shared her raw emotions about the end of her marriage. "I've never felt more alone," she confessed, adding, "I don't feel worth loving."

Despite the acrimony surrounding their split, both Spelling and McDermott have moved on romantically. Spelling had been spotted with Ryan Kramer, while McDermott was reportedly dating Lily Calo. 

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