Dean McDermott gushes about Tori Spelling and calls her his 'best ex-wife' nearly a year after their divorce in November 2025.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleDean McDermott is not shying away from speaking about his personal life. The actor was previously married to Tori Spelling. The former couple separated after 18 years of marriage and officially divorced in 2025. Despite this, Dean is singing Tori’s praises and even called her his “best ex-wife.”
In an interview with Page Six, Dean McDermott called Tori Spelling his “best ex-wife.” He credited her for helping him confront his decades-long battle with addiction and essentially saving him. He revealed that Tori is the one who got him into treatment for his addiction. Since then, the duo has also rebuilt their relationship.
According to Dean, even though they are divorced, the actor shared that he and Tori co-parent beautifully. The pair also makes it a point to have dinner together with their children regularly. He said, “I couldn't have asked for a better ex-wife.”
At present, Dean McDermott is working as a drug and alcohol counselor. He advocates for recovery through Cure Addiction Now, a non-profit organization co-founded by Nancy David and her late son, Jason. The organization is dedicated to finding new treatments and ways to tackle addiction while breaking down the stigma surrounding it.
Dean McDermott revealed during his conversation with the publication that he had hit rock bottom in recent years after spending a long time cycling through alcohol, cocaine, and opiates. Dean had been in treatment several times before, but he claimed that there came a point where he no longer had the energy to rebuild the life he had destroyed for so many years.
Dean recalled what he told himself before he finally surrendered and asked for help. He said, “You're 56 years old, and you've done it again. This is where you always end up. Your way didn't work.” Ultimately, a 12-step program, therapy, and breathwork helped transform his recovery journey. Dean McDermott also said that he practices “active medication.” The actor credited it for helping him reconnect with himself and process the emotions that he had been suppressing for years.
Dean McDermott met his “best ex-wife,” Tori Spelling, while they were filming for the TV movie Mind Over Murder in Ottawa, Canada. At the time, both of them were married to other people. While Dean was married to Mary Jo Eustace, Tori was married to Charlie Shanian. Less than a month after Tori finalized her divorce from Charlie, she and Dean McDermott tied the knot in a private ceremony in Fiji on May 7, 2006.
Dean and Tori welcomed their first child, a son named Liam, on March 13, 2007. They welcomed their second child, daughter Stella, on June 9, 2008. Meanwhile, their third child, Hattie, was born on October 10, 2011; their fourth child, Finn, on August 30, 2012; and their fifth child, Beau, on March 2, 2017.
After 18 years together, Tori and Dean announced their separation. Taking to Instagram, Dean wrote in a since-deleted post:
"It's with great sadness and a very, very heavy heart that, after 18 years together and 5 amazing children, that @torispelling and I have decided to go our separate ways and start a new journey of our own. We will continue to work together as loving parents and guide and love our children through this difficult time."
Tori was the one who filed for divorce from the actor in March 2024. At the time, she listed their date of separation as June 13, 2023. Tori and Dean’s divorce was finalized in November 2025.
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