In a new podcast interview, actress Shannen Doherty opens up about her hesitation to date due to her stage 4 cancer diagnosis and the challenges she faces in relationships.
- Jun 27, 2024
AceShowbiz - Shannen Doherty, known for her roles in "Charmed" and "Beverly Hills, 90210," has candidly shared her experiences battling stage 4 cancer. While she remains positive and determined, she admits to facing challenges in her personal life.
In a recent interview on Kelly Ripa's podcast, "Let's Talk Off Camera," Doherty discussed her hesitation to date. She expressed that it was difficult to navigate dating while knowing that her health condition could potentially limit her time frame. Additionally, she mentioned that most men tend to struggle more than women in handling topics related to death and illness.
"I think it's hard for somebody like me, in my personal opinion, because it's hard to go into dating someone when you know that they might have an expiration date," she said. "I think that I'm a very hard sell."
Doherty is left "very insecure" because of the scars and physical changes caused by her cancer treatments. She explained that it was challenging to disclose the surgical origins of her scars to potential partners.
"It's more companionship than anything else. Anyway, I'm a little self-conscious, because I have so many scars from surgery that it's like, how do you explain that 'No, that isn't from giving birth, that's from reconstruction surgery.' "
The actress has been battling cancer since her initial breast cancer diagnosis in 2015. Despite achieving remission in 2017, the cancer returned in 2020 and spread to her brain and bones. Doherty has remained transparent about her health journey, including her decision to downsize her belongings to ease the transition for her mother in the future.
Meanwhile, Doherty's personal life has also encountered turbulence. She filed for divorce from her husband Kurt Iswarienko in April 2023 after 11 years of marriage. The actress alleged an affair by Iswarienko, which he denied through a source. The divorce proceedings remain ongoing.
In a recent filing, Doherty accused Iswarienko of intentionally delaying the divorce to avoid paying spousal support. Iswarienko's attorney countered that he had attempted to finalize the divorce in a settlement that Doherty declined.
