Tori Spelling Compares Her Weeks-Long Illness to an “Exorcism”

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Tori Spelling‘s Halloween season took an extra scary turn.

The 52-year-old revealed she tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-October and described it as the worst illness she’s ever experienced, comparing the symptoms to something like an exorcism.

I got really sick with COVID,” Tori explained on her podcast on November 4th. “People act like it’s just a mild cold, but the COVID I had in 2025 was much more serious.

The former Beverly Hills 90210 star, who has five children – Liam (18), Stella (17), Hattie (14), Finn (13), and Beau (8) – with her ex-husband, Dean McDermott, happily reported that none of them fell ill.

Tori continued, explaining that the realization was overwhelming. “It really knocked me out,” she said. “I was completely unable to function and stuck in bed for three weeks.”

Thankfully, none of my children caught the virus, which is strange considering I did. It really knocked me off my feet – I was completely bedridden for three weeks.

Tori explained that she got a really bad sinus infection, which her doctor said was the worst he’d ever seen, and she needed three different courses of antibiotics to get better. She described feeling so awful to her manager that she joked she felt like she was undergoing an exorcism.

“Exorcism,” she added, “was the valid term for what was happening to my body.”

Tori was really sick and couldn’t get ready for Halloween like she wanted to. This meant she missed out on taking her kids to a pumpkin patch – something they hadn’t done in years – and had to rush to find costumes.

The actress explained she was simply unable to go. She couldn’t even bring herself to go to the doctor, and her son, Liam, had to accompany her in the car to offer reassurance and support, telling her, ‘It’s OK, Mom, I got you.’

Tori said she’s feeling much stronger and better today, and is determined to keep going with the show.

As Tori continues her recovery, read her most candid confessions over the years…

Oh my god, you will NOT believe this! Apparently, Dean McDermott was always obsessed with Tori Spelling’s Beverly Hills, 90210 character, Donna Martin. And get this – Tori found out he was calling her ‘Donna’ during their intimate moments! She said it totally made his dream come true, and honestly? It’s the sweetest, most adorably geeky thing ever! I’m officially obsessed with their relationship even more now!

You won’t believe this, but my ex, Dean, actually told me he had a huge crush on me when we first met! He used to play hockey with his friends every Wednesday, but he’d always make up an excuse to leave early. Apparently, he’d tell them, ‘I gotta go home and see my girlfriend!’ It was so sweet – and a little bit much, honestly – hearing that he was already so eager to see me.

Dean didn’t mind his teammates making fun of him. Tori remembered him saying, “Yep, I’m not embarrassed at all. I’m going home to watch 90210. I’m a guy, and that’s what I want to do.”

And it seems his crush on her character didn’t fade.

I used to suspect he was just saying things to impress me, but it turned out he really was referencing the show. During one intimate moment, he actually said, ‘Oh, my little Donna Martin,’ and I think I responded playfully, just like the character!

Tori shared a conversation she had with Dean’s daughter, Hattie, about their marriage. Hattie, the middle child of five, asked Tori if she’d ever thought about being with someone other than her dad, and whether that person would treat her better.

She explained on her MisSpelling podcast in April 2025 that their arguments had become so frequent and visible, it was actually more upsetting for their children to witness them trying to maintain a united front. They simply couldn’t conceal the conflict any longer.

Tori, who shares four children – Liam, Stella, Finn, and Beau – with Dean, explained that Hattie’s comments weren’t about taking sides in any disagreement. She was quick to add that her daughter loves her father.

She explained that he was struggling with addiction and often directed his pain towards her. She realized this was happening and didn’t like how it was changing her – she was trying to be a good parent, but felt like she was constantly absorbing his negativity.

Tori didn’t care if she became famous for the wrong reasons if the sex tape she and Dean made in 2009 became public. She explained that a houseguest stole the computer containing the video and attempted to sell it online.

She recalled receiving a rejection notice from the adult website, sharing on her MisSpelling podcast in April 2025 that they simply told her, ‘We didn’t accept it.’ She jokingly wondered if the issue was with her photos, saying, ‘Why? Were my angles not good?’

Looking back, the actress wouldn’t have minded if the video had been released.

I don’t have regrets, but I do wish I’d said yes to Playboy. Now that I’m 51, I’d love to have been on the cover. I was in a relationship with my husband at the time, and looking back, I think I should have released that sex tape we made together.

I was such a fan of Tori Spelling and Brian Austin Green back in the day, and it always fascinated me that they actually dated in real life, even though Brian has admitted he doesn’t fully remember it all! It was a bit of a whirlwind romance, happening right alongside their characters’ storylines on Beverly Hills, 90210.

Tori remembered asking, ‘Why do you always get upset? Why are we constantly arguing?’ She explained that he responded with a surprising question: ‘Have you ever considered that I might be fighting with you because I love you?’ This happened during a November 2024 episode of her podcast, MisSpelling.

She described the moment as feeling like something out of a classic teen movie. Then, he started kissing her right there in public, which she thought was wild – she remembers being shocked that people were watching. He asked if they should leave, and she immediately said yes.

Tori’s story didn’t help the Knots Landing actor remember, and he confessed, “I have memories of other events, but that particular one just doesn’t ring a bell. I’m not sure why.”

Tori admitted her difficult relationship with her brother, Randy Spelling, caused her to lose control and, in a moment of extreme anger, she attempted to attack him with a letter opener. She also mentioned a rock was nearby and could have been used instead.

Looking back, she remembered thinking outsiders might not see any common ground in her and her sibling’s upbringing. But despite any differences, they still had a typical brother-sister relationship – they fought, had fun, and shared all the usual experiences. She even jokingly recalled a childhood incident where she’d tried to stab her sibling, as she shared on her MisSpelling podcast in August 2024.

She went on to say that he was always waiting at the door, always eavesdropping. In a moment of anger, she burst through the door, grabbing a crystal, a decorative sword, and even a letter opener. She then ran at him, attempting to stab him with them.

Even though she claimed she didn’t intend to actually hurt him, Randy couldn’t shake the unsettling look his sister had given him. He joked that something seemed to change within her, like a switch flipped.

Tori Spelling gave Dean McDermott a rather unusual eighth wedding anniversary gift – a handmade brass ring. It was certainly more memorable than any award, and definitely a bold present for her then-husband.

You know, I always loved celebrating milestones, especially anniversaries. I’m a total DIY person – crafting is just in my DNA! Honestly, I was making things for my kids even before they were born – it’s just something I’ve always done.

She was looking for a special way to celebrate the anniversary, traditionally marked by bronze gifts. Remembering the process, she said, “I actually made it myself – I hammered and welded it! I was really proud of how it turned out.”

Tori really needed to go, and she explained a particularly memorable instance of that need. She admitted that once, while stuck in Los Angeles traffic, she ended up having an accident and used her youngest son’s diaper.

She explained on her MisSpelling podcast that she desperately searched her large bag, hoping to find something useful. Luckily, she found a diaper and, needing to go to the bathroom, actually used it, relieving herself while holding her baby, Beau.

Tori claims her dog, Musso, found a severed big toe while she and Dean were at a fancy hotel in Toronto, Canada. Surprisingly, the hotel staff didn’t seem very bothered by the disturbing discovery.

 

She explained that they wrote the complaint on a dinner napkin, and Dean delivered it to the staff. They received a credit for a future stay, though she jokingly added, “A future stay that never happened – we definitely never went back!”

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2025-11-06 20:18