True Tori, true Dean. Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott appeared on The Dr. Oz Show on Monday, Nov. 24, where they discussed the state of their marriage after his cheating scandal. Much of McDermott’s betrayal stemmed from a profound lack of self esteem, which was something he’s discussed with his wife.
“That’s what he said and I believe that,” Spelling, 41, told Dr. Mehmet Oz. “I don’t feel it’s my fault.”
In fact, after the initial scandal broke last winter, McDermott grappled with thoughts of suicide. “You know, I thought it would make everything a lot easier if I just wasn’t here,” he admitted. “This horrible, horrible person who did these horrible, horrible things doesn’t deserve to take another breath, that if I just… If I took myself out, then the world would be a better place. That, okay, great, that sort of wart on the ass of society is gone. That’s how I was feeling about myself.”
The silver lining to his indiscretion was being able to connect with others struggling with similar issues. “But we also wanted to help others, you know?” McDermott, 48, mused. “I have clinical depression and I want people to know that there’s help out there. You’re not alone and that’s what I’ve learned through this whole process is I’m not alone with the alcoholism and the drugs and the depression. You can get help.”
As for rebuilding trust in their relationship after a rocky year? “We’re working on it,” Spelling said. “It’ll take time.” She also revealed specifics as to what she’s asking from her husband. “I’ve asked him a lot: I’ve asked him to listen to me, to take care of me, take care of the kids, step up in our family, and he really has,” she shared. “He’s really working on himself and us.”
Aside from her marriage issues, Spelling has also dealt with concerning health problems in the last month. The Hollywood scion was hospitalized with pneumonia and severe bronchitis last month. The root of her overall well-being (or lack thereof), it turns out, was from stress. “I don’t deal with stress well,” she confessed. “Before the show, before True Tori… Anytime I would have emotional stress, for years, my whole life, I would just repress [it] and keep going and keep going and no one knew, really. And it would just start coming out. I would be sick all the time, sinus, migraines, everything. I don’t want to keep going on like that. I’m at that place where I don’t like the way my kids see me. I don’t like them seeing me as sick.”
The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum admitted that she hit the lowest of lows after her most recent stint in the hospital. (Spelling has said in a separate interview that her mother Candy Spelling also made no effort to see her during that time.) “After being in the hospital for two weeks, being away from my kids, that was my rock bottom,” she revealed. “Because they weren’t even fazed by me being in the hospital. They’re used to it. And I don’t want them to grow up thinking, ‘Mom’s sick.’ I need to change. I need to prioritize me, and my problem is I put everyone before me.”
She then alluded to how she was raised under her mom Candy and her late power-producer dad Aaron Spelling. “I think it really does go back to childhood,” Tori reflected. “Not feeling worthy enough that I should be allowed to be taken care of or I should have any worth to even eat, drink, you know, to get to me first. It’s all about my kids, my husband, everyone.”
