Valerie Bertinelli is experiencing a surge of affection. The Food Network alum, aged 63, disclosed that she has initiated a romantic relationship with a “special” man, more than a year after concluding her divorce from Tom Vitale.
“I’ve met someone. And I’m incredibly grateful for him,” she told. “It’s unlike any relationship that I’ve ever experienced with a man.”
“I don’t want to say too much, but I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have met him because I wasn’t expecting it.”
“He was not on my radar. I was going to die with my six cats and my dog and be incredibly happy doing it. So this came out of left field, and I’m grateful it did. He’s very special,” she added, without divulging her new beau’s name.
The “Hot In Cleveland” alum expressed that the romance blossomed at an opportune moment in her life.
“I really want women and men to take away that it’s the work that you do [on yourself] that can lead you to meeting someone like I’ve been lucky enough to meet right now,” she shared.
“This would not have happened three years ago, four years ago, last year — it wouldn’t have. And I feel incredibly lucky to have met him and made a connection with him.”
Bertinelli concluded her divorce from Vitale in November 2022. The “One Day at a Time” alum consented to pay her ex-husband $2.2 million as part of their divorce proceedings, as reported. This substantial amount supplements the $500,000 she had already transferred to him in May 2022.
Bertinelli crossed paths with financial planner and entrepreneur Vitale, who also serves as the CEO of e-commerce company Veebow, in 2004, leading to their engagement in March 2010.
The couple exchanged vows in January 2011. However, after a decade together, the “Valerie’s Home Cooking” host filed for legal separation from Vitale in November 2021.
Bertinelli had previously been married to the late Eddie Van Halen from 1981 until 2007. In October 2020, the iconic rocker passed away from cancer at the age of 65.
The couple shared one child, son Wolfgang, who is now 32. Vitale, on the other hand, had four children from a previous marriage.
