Photo: Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic
Tori SpellingandDean McDermott’s now-deletedsplit announcementcame as a surprise even to friends who’d been aware of theirprevious struggles as a couple.
Sources tell PEOPLE Spelling, 50, and McDermott, 56, seemed to be in a better place than they had been in a while when he posted on Instagram that they were separating.
“Their friends have seen their ups and downs through the years, but they really did seem to be in a good place in recent months,” says one source close to theBeverly Hills 90210alum. “This feels really out of the blue."
The source continues, “If this had happened a year ago, it would’ve been expected because things were terrible between them. Sure, they still had their disagreements and didn’t always see eye to eye, but the past six months things had felt good between them.”
Amy Sussman/Getty
A source close to the family explains also thought some of the couple’s prior turbulence was behind them.
On June 17, McDermott announced their decision to part ways via Instagram. “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,” he wrote alongside a photograph of himself and Spelling with their kids.
The message, which also touched on their future as co-parents, was deleted shortly after McDermott posted it.
Reps for both Spelling and McDermott have not responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment. The actress has not publicly commented on the seeming split, and it’s unclear whether the post was a mistake.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Spelling and McDermotttied the knotin 2006 and share five children:Liam Aaron McDermott, 16,Stella Doreen, 15,Hattie Margaret, 11,Finn Davey, 10 andBeau Dean, 6.
The pair have long been open about their relationship struggles, including acheatingscandal, that played out on their reality showTrue Tori.Spelling previouslytold PEOPLEthe infidelity caused a shift in their marriage. “We had to start over. We had to completely rebuild.”
source: people.com
