Shannen Doherty, best known for her roles in popular TV shows such as Beverly Hills 90210 and Charmed, has filed for divorce from her husband Kurt Iswarienko after 11 years of marriage. Leslie Sloane, Doherty’s representative, told PEOPLE that divorce was the last thing Shannen wanted, but she felt she had no other choice. Doherty’s request for spousal support is also mentioned, as well as her wish that it not be awarded to her estranged photographer husband. TMZ was the first to report on the news and it was later confirmed by Doherty’s representative.
In the divorce filing, it was revealed that the couple separated in January and that they do not have any children. Iswarienko’s agent was also alleged to have been “intimately involved” in their divorce. The agent and Iswarienko did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Just a few hours before the news broke, Doherty shared a cryptic message on Instagram, stating that “the only people who deserve to be in your life are the ones who treat you with love, kindness and total respect.”
The news of the couple’s split comes days after Doherty posted a touching tribute to Iswarienko on Instagram, thanking him for “all that you do.” She wrote, “You are an incredible human being and I am so blessed to have you in my life. You make me smile and laugh every day…Thank you for all your love, support and understanding throughout this past year.” The message was accompanied by several photos of the two together.
Doherty has been through two previous marriages. In 1993, she married Ashley Hamilton but the marriage only lasted a year. She then married Rick Salomon in 2002 but they were divorced by 2003. Doherty spoke to PEOPLE in 2010 about her third marriage, saying that she was taking it seriously because “marriage to me is such a gigantic commitment that it’s not something I’d ever go into lightly anymore. I’ve learned my lesson.”
The announcement of her divorce comes just a month after Doherty told fans that she was “feeling great” at a Charmed panel. She has been dealing with ongoing treatments for stage 4 breast cancer, which she was first diagnosed with in 2015. Doherty entered remission two years later, but revealed in 2020 that her cancer had returned as stage 4.
Despite her ongoing treatments, Doherty has been open about her experience with cancer, stating that she feels a responsibility to shatter misconceptions around the disease. She has also said that her husband has remarked that “you would never know that I have cancer,” and that she rarely complains or talks about it.
Doherty’s statement on her divorce is a reminder that even in the midst of serious health challenges, life goes on and sometimes difficult decisions must be made.