Shannen Doherty recently shared an update on her personal life and challenges as she battles stage-four metastatic breast cancer which has that spread to her brain and bones.
The 53-year-old opened up on SiriusXM's Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa, shedding light on the heartbreaking barriers she faces in finding love.
"I think it's hard for somebody like me, in my personal opinion, because it's tough to date someone when you know they might have an expiration date," Shannen candidly told Kelly.
She continued, "I don't think most men handle death and illness as well as women do. So, I think I'm a very hard sell."
Shannen also delved into her past relationships, expressing a special fondness for her ex, poker player Rick Salomon, with whom she was romantically involved from 2002 to 2003.
Despite their separation, Shannen and Rick have remained close. "I adore him. I love him," she gushed. "He was recently on my podcast, 'Let's Be Clear,' and we text and FaceTime all the time."
The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum explained that Rick's struggle with addiction was a significant factor in their split.
"When I knew him, he was sober. But as he admitted on my podcast, he was a drug addict for 15 years, and there were some bad decisions made," she shared.
Nevertheless, Shannen emphasized that she can always rely on Rick. "There are only a few of my exes that I know would drop everything to help me if the s**t hits the fan, and he's one of them," she said.
Shannen also revealed that her ex-fiancé, Rob Weiss, was the "one who got away," although he remains an active part of her life.
"Rob is probably the one that got away," she admitted. "When we broke up, I was like, 'Oh God, this is such a mistake, Shannen.' He's an amazing guy, but everything works out exactly the way it's supposed to, I think."
Navigating the dating scene has been particularly challenging for Shannen, especially after her traumatic breakup with her estranged husband, Kurt Iswarienko, who allegedly cheated on her before she underwent brain surgery.
She filed for divorce from Kurt in April 2023 after 11 years of marriage. "It's still so hard and raw, and I was in a really dark place for nine months after I found out what he did," she confessed. "It was a whole fiasco, and it's only recently that I've completely recovered."
When asked if she would consider rekindling relationships with Rick or Rob, Shannen replied with a firm no. "I don't like going backwards. I like moving forward," she stated. "Those two guys are the ones that are still very active in my life that I speak to and admire."
Shannen's professional journey has also been marked by significant challenges. Reflecting on her time on Beverly Hills, 90210, she recounted her struggles with a "really horrible marriage" that affected her work.
"There were things transpiring in that marriage that made it difficult for me to consistently be on time for work," she explained. However, being fired from the show turned out to be a relief. "The set was very hostile and toxic, and I just wasn't the girl that could work with some of the male producers," she revealed. "When they fired me, I felt some relief, to be honest. I felt like I was free, and that felt good."
Shannen's departure from Charmed was another pivotal moment in her career. She has previously claimed that co-star Alyssa Milano got her axed from the show, yet she still holds the series dear to her heart.
"It was by far one of my absolute favourite working experiences. I loved my character, the writers, and the crew. I loved every single thing about that show," she gushed.
Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, Shannen underwent a single mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. By 2017, her cancer was in remission.
However, in February 2020, she revealed that her cancer had returned and progressed to stage four. Last year, Shannen announced that her cancer had spread to her brain.
Despite these challenges, Shannen remains resilient. She shared an update on her condition, admitting, "It's kind of like being a guinea pig on a wheel. You just keep spinning the wheel and hope your protocol lasts a long time. Inevitably, a protocol will stop working, and then you have to move on to the next. Each new treatment comes with its own set of challenges."
Shannen acknowledged that her current treatment is particularly tough physically. "This one is probably one of the harder ones," she admitted.
Correction: In a previous version of this story on HELLO! we incorrectly referred to Shannen's diagnosis as "brain cancer." It has since been corrected. Shannen was diagnosed with stage 4 metastic breast cancer that spread to her brain and bones.