EXCLUSIVE: How Sitcom Sweetheart Valerie Bertinelli's Endless Heartbreaks May Be Too Much for Her to Bear
Valerie Bertinelli's endless heartbreaks overwhelm the beloved sitcom sweetheart.
April 16 2026, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
Lonesome Valerie Bertinelli has been reliving her life's lowest points as worried pals fear she's on the edge of a breakdown, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The sitcom sweetheart – famed as bouncy Barbara Cooper in the '70s series One Day at a Time before becoming a food show host – has endured endless heartbreak in recent years.
As readers know, Bertinelli's stormy 10-year marriage to financial planner Tom Vitale ended in a nasty divorce in 2022.
Still Mourning, Bertinelli Loses Faith
Eddie Van Halen's death left Valerie Bertinelli reeling as she struggled to move on after their 2007 divorce.
Just two years earlier, she was at the bedside of her first husband, rock god Eddie Van Halen, when he passed after a battle with cancer.
Sources revealed at the time that Bertinelli was still hung up on Van Halen, dad of her only child, son Wolfgang, even though they'd divorced in 2007 after 25 years of marriage.
Since ending her marriage to Vitale, insiders said 65-year-old Bertinelli has been in a major funk and she's apparently lost faith in romance while pushing away concerned friends.
Past Trauma Still Haunts Bertinelli
During an appearance on Drew Barrymore's talk show, Bertinelli recalled being fired as a diet company ambassador over weight gain.
Last month, Bertinelli – who's also struggled with body issues and weight gain over the years – stoked more concern when she recalled a traumatic incident that occurred around 20 years ago when she was the face of a diet company.
In an emotional confession on Drew Barrymore's TV talk show, she revealed how the firm fired her as its ambassador because she'd put on weight.
An insider told RadarOnline.com: "It's incredibly sad for folks in Valerie's life to see that she's slipped into this funk and is still so haunted by her past.
"She's a phenomenal person who has so much to give in terms of her charisma and bubbly personality. When she's on form, she lights up a room.
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Friends said Tom Vitale's divorce deepened Bertinelli's sadness, with insiders noting she still misses Van Halen every single day.
"But all too often recently, there's been a heavy sense of sadness when you talk to Valerie. She seems totally done with relationships. The divorce took a heavy toll and when she does date, nobody comes close to replicating the magic she shared with Eddie.
"For all of his faults and their many ups and downs, they were definitely soul mates and she misses him every single day.
"You get the sense that Valerie's life hasn't turned out like she expected and that's so sad for her friends to witness. There are genuine fears that unless she can find a way to snap out of this funk, she could be one step away from a full-blown breakdown."
