Dean McDermott credits ‘best ex-wife’ Tori Spelling with saving his life in addiction battle

See more of our coverage in your search results. Dean McDermott is singing the praises of his “best ex-wife” Tori Spelling, crediting the actress with helping him finally confront his decades-long battle with addiction. The Canadian actor told Page Six that Spelling was the one who got him into treatment, and the former couple have since rebuilt their relationship. Even though they’re divorced, McDermott says they co-parent beautifully, regularly sharing dinner with their children. “I couldn’t have asked for a better ex-wife,” he said. Dean McDermott is singing the praises of his “best ex-wife” Tori Spelling, crediting the actress with helping him finally confront his decades-long battle with addiction. (The pair are pictured here in 2006.) L. Cohen Despite their divorce, McDermott told Page Six they co-parent beautifully, regularly sharing dinner with their children. (They are pictured here with their children.) torispelling/Instagram Now working as a drug and alcohol counselor and advocating for recovery through Cure Addiction Now, McDermott, 59, is gearing up to speak at the nonprofit’s upcoming fundraising gala in Beverly Hills on Nov. 9. The organization, co-founded by Nancy Davis and her late son, Jason, is dedicated to finding new treatments and ways to tackle addiction while breaking down the stigma surrounding the disease. McDermott revealed he hit rock bottom in recent years, following years of cycling through alcohol, cocaine and opiates. Having been in treatment several times before, he said he finally reached a point where he no longer had the energy to rebuild the life he had repeatedly destroyed. “I couldn’t have asked for a better ex-wife,” he told us. (Spelling and McDermott are seen above in June 2023.) Getty Images McDermott (pictured here) opened up to Page Six about his own rock bottom, which came a few years ago after years of cycling through alcohol, cocaine and opiates. Dean McDermott/Instagram Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! “You’re 56 years old and you’ve done it again. This is where you always end up. Your way didn’t work,” he recalled telling himself before finally surrendering and asking for help. McDermott credited the 12-step program, therapy and breathwork with transforming his recovery. He said he practices “active meditation,” which he said helps him reconnect with himself and process emotions he had spent years suppressing. McDermott (pictured here with Spelling in 2019) credited the 12-step program, therapy and breathwork with transforming his recovery. Penske Media via Getty Images McDermott and Spelling (pictured above with their children) finalized their divorce in November 2025. Instagram/@imdeanmcdermott McDermott said he now facilitates recovery groups and counseling sessions, but stresses that helping others cannot replace maintaining his own sobriety. He also urges parents of children struggling with addiction to balance unconditional love with firm boundaries. “Love them, support them and just be there for them when they’re ready to say, ‘Hey, I need help,’” he noted, warning against enabling destructive behavior. With fentanyl making street drugs increasingly dangerous, McDermott delivered a stark warning: “One relapse could be your last.” Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!