Shannen Doherty Reveals She Underwent Brain Surgery After Discovering Husband's Alleged 2-Year Affair

Shannen Doherty reflected on realizing her marriage with Kurt Iswarienko was “essentially over” shortly before undergoing brain surgery after learning he’d allegedly had an affair.

By Olivia Evans Dec 06, 2023 5:13 PM
| Updated Dec 07, 2023 1:03 AM
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Watch: Shannen Doherty Discovered Husband’s Affair Before Surgery

Shannen Doherty is reflecting on a difficult moment amid her cancer battle. 

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum recently opened up about the end of her 11-year marriage to Kurt Iswarienko, sharing she learned he'd been involved with another woman just before she underwent brain surgery. 

"I went into that surgery early in the morning and I went in after I found out that my marriage was essentially over," Shannen revealed on the premiere episode of her new podcast, Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, per People. "That my husband had been carrying on an affair for two years." 

The star added that while her ex-husband wanted to be beside her leading up to the operation, she wouldn't allow it. "He wanted to go, I couldn't go into that surgery with him there. I felt so betrayed."

Shannen filed for divorce from the photographer in April with the couple, according to documents obtained by E! News, citing "irreconcilable differences," as the cause for their separation.

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But despite the heartbreak over the divorce from her third husband, Shannen, who had tied the knot Kurt in 2011, is still a romantic at heart. (She was previously married to Rick Salomon from 2002 to 2003, and Ashley Hamilton from 1993 to 1994.)  

"It was embarrassing," the Charmed star explained on her podcast. "I am horrified that I can't keep a relationship together. I think it is a reflection me, but this one I think this one is on him. I've failed three times at marriage, but I still believe in love."

Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

And she added that juggling divorce proceedings with her ongoing battle with cancer was difficult. "Just to go through all of that," she noted, "while also trying to figure out if you're going to get a freaking divorce and trying to get to the truth of that."

The 52-year-old was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and went into remission in 2017. However, in 2019, the disease returned, with her recently sharing the cancer—which she previously explained had metastasized to her brain—had spread to her bones.

But still, she's looking ahead. "I'm not done with living. I'm not done with loving. I'm not done with creating," she told People in an interview published Nov. 29. "I'm not done with hopefully changing things for the better. I'm just not—I'm not done." 

E! News has reached out to reps for Kurt Iswarienko, but has not yet heard back. 

Read on to see photos of Shannen through the years:

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View More Photos From Shannen Doherty Through the Years

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