Honestly, the internet is still catching up with Valerie Bertinelli. If you type who is valerie bertinelli married to into a search bar today, you might see old wedding photos or snippets about her long-term relationships that make it seem like she’s still spoken for.
She isn't.
As of early 2026, Valerie Bertinelli is not married. She is officially single. After a high-profile divorce and a whirlwind romance that dominated headlines last year, the Hot in Cleveland star has made it clear that her focus has shifted back to her own peace, her son Wolfgang, and her legendary collection of pets.
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The Short-Lived Romance with Mike Goodnough
You probably remember the buzz from early 2024. Valerie was all over the news, beaming about a new man in her life. For a while, she kept his name a secret, calling him her "special someone" and telling anyone who would listen that she had finally found joy again.
That man was Mike Goodnough, a writer known online as "The Hoarse Whisperer."
They went public in April 2024, showing up on red carpets and posting sweet selfies. Valerie even admitted she never thought she’d fall in love again after her messy second divorce. She told People magazine her belly was "flip-flopping" and she felt like a teenager. It looked like the real deal.
But by November 2024, it was over.
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The split wasn't exactly quiet. While Valerie tried to keep things classy, Goodnough took to his Substack and Instagram to air out the "complicated" nature of their breakup. He claimed the dissolution was the "most painful experience" of his life. There was a lot of back-and-forth chatter online, with some fans feeling like he was oversharing, while Valerie mostly focused on posting videos of her dog, Luna.
Basically, the long-distance thing—she’s in LA, he was on the East Coast—along with "external factors," just made it impossible. They dated for about ten months. Since then, she hasn't been linked to anyone else seriously.
The Divorce from Tom Vitale
Before the Mike Goodnough chapter, Valerie was married to financial planner Tom Vitale. This is the marriage that most people are actually thinking of when they ask who she is married to.
They tied the knot on New Year’s Day in 2011. For a decade, they seemed like a rock-solid Hollywood couple. They even lived in a beautiful cliff-side home in Malibu. But behind the scenes, things were getting heavy. Valerie eventually filed for legal separation in late 2021, and by May 2022, she officially filed for divorce.
The legal battle that followed was pretty intense.
- The Payout: Valerie ended up paying Vitale a $2.2 million settlement.
- The Prenup: There was a lot of legal wrangling over their prenuptial agreement, which Vitale challenged.
- The Closure: On November 22, 2022, Valerie posted a video from an airport, looking visibly relieved. She called it the "second best day" of her life.
She was very open about the "toxic" nature of the end of that marriage. She spent a lot of time afterward talking about healing, therapy, and learning to be "enough" on her own.
The Eternal Bond with Eddie Van Halen
We can’t talk about Valerie’s marital history without mentioning the late, great Eddie Van Halen. They were the ultimate 80s "it" couple, married from 1981 until 2007. Even though they divorced, they never really stopped loving each other.
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Valerie was by Eddie’s side when he passed away in 2020. She has been very vocal about the fact that he was her soulmate in many ways, even if they couldn't stay married due to his struggles with addiction and the pressures of rock stardom. Their son, Wolfgang Van Halen, remains the absolute center of her world.
What Really Matters Now
So, if you’re looking for a current husband, you won't find one.
Valerie seems to be in a "me" era. She’s leaning into her career as a cookbook author and her life as a "cat lady" (her words, not mine). She’s built a massive following on social media by being incredibly vulnerable about body image, aging, and the reality of being 65 and single in an industry that obsessed with youth.
If you’re following her journey, here is what you should actually keep an eye on:
- Her Substack and Socials: She often shares raw thoughts on why she chose to leave her last relationship.
- The "Indulge" Philosophy: Her latest projects are all about finding pleasure in life without needing a partner to validate it.
- Wolfgang's Career: She’s the ultimate "proud mom" and spends a lot of her time supporting his music.
Don't expect another wedding announcement anytime soon. She’s mentioned several times that she’s perfectly happy "dying with her six cats and her dog." Honestly? Good for her.
Take Actionable Steps
If you're a fan of Valerie's and want to keep up with the most accurate information regarding her life and recipes, you should:
- Follow her verified Instagram: She posts daily updates that are much more current than any tabloid.
- Check out her book Enough Already: It gives the deepest insight into why her second marriage ended and how she views relationships now.
- Ignore the "Relationship Status" boxes on Google: They often lag behind the actual news of her 2024 split from Goodnough.
The takeaway? Valerie Bertinelli is currently married to her own happiness and her culinary career.