Tori Spelling might be single, but she isn’t dancing through life alone.
In fact, as the 51-year-old navigated her appearance as a contestant on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, she had a whole backup squad cheering her on—and that includes ex-husband Dean McDermott, who posted that Tori had been “robbed” over her early elimination.
“Oh my gosh, everyone has been so supportive,” she gushed to E! News of Dean’s gesture at the Gala of the Stars Oct. 9. “We had to keep it secret for a while, so when I was able to tell people, they were like, ‘Oh my god.’”
And, as she noted, that included kids Liam, 17, Stella, 16, Hattie, 13, Finn, 12, and Beau, 7, whom she shares with Dean, in addition to his son Jack, 25, with his ex-wife Mary Jo Eustace.
After all, “It doesn't matter how old you are, everyone watches Dancing with the Stars, something people do as a family,” Tori continued. “So I was cool with my kids again, because their friends watch it. I'm the cool mom again.”
And while she was eliminated in only week two, the 90210 alum confirmed the lessons she learned during her short tenure will last a lifetime.
“I got everything out of the experience,” she confirmed, “It was transformational, personally. And it was only a month in you know, we were training and working every day, and just what I got, the change I saw in myself, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, something I'll carry with me.”
She continued, “I wish it had kept going. I was like, ‘Wow, this is the best therapy I've ever done.’”
Dean, too, wish it had kept going. After his estranged wife—whom he announced his split from in a since-deleted June 2023 Instagram post, before she filed for divorce in March 2024—was voted out of the competition, he shared an impassioned message of support.
“I had to come out of my self-imposed Instagram exile for this one,” Dean said in a Sept. 26 Instagram video. “Tori Spelling, you did an amazing job. I’m so proud of you. You put on two beautiful performances on Dancing With the Stars. I saw how hard you worked and I know the injuries that you worked through. Your dedication and your work ethic is amazing.”
He also took a moment to throw some shade on the elimination parameters.
“I actually thought Dancing With the Stars was a dance competition and not a popularity contest but it’s not the first time I’ve been wrong,” the 57-year-old continued. “The lesson that you taught our children and you exemplified to our children that you can do anything you put your mind to was incredible and without parallel. What a beautiful, beautiful message.”
And in addition to the emotional lessons, Tori also picked up a few lifelong party tricks.
“I still do my rumba,” she added to E! News. “My dance floor is the kitchen when I’m making snacks.”
For more on Dean and Tori’s family, keep reading.
--Reporting by Sharon Carpenter