Valerie Bertinelli. DAVID SWANSON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Getting candid. Valerie Bertinelli opened up about celebrating her first holiday season since her divorce from Tom Vitale was finalized.
“Merry Christmas, everyone! As we end another year, I cannot help but feel grateful for the love and support of my family and loved ones,” the One Day at a Time alum, 62, captioned artwork of Santa on Sunday, December 25. “There’s nothing quite like spending time with the people who matter most, and I hope you all can do the same this holiday season.”
She added: “Let’s take a moment to appreciate the special moments we share with our loved ones and the joy and warmth they bring to our lives. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year! Love, Valerie .”
Valerie Bertinelli. Courtesy of Valerie Bertinelli/Instagram
Bertinelli’s message comes one month after Us Weekly confirmed that the Food Network star reached a divorce settlement with Vitale. According to documents obtained by Us, the actress was ordered to pay her ex-husband $2.2 million even though they had a prenuptial agreement in place.
Meanwhile, the financial planner was given until the end of December to move out of his ex-wife’s California home in order to receive the payment. The agreement also noted that if Vitale chooses to remain at the residence, he must start paying Bertinelli $50,000 in rent every month.
That same month, the Emmy winner took to social media to reflect on the major life change. “I’m at the airport, about to go see Wolfie,” she wrote via Instagram, referring to son Wolfgang, 31, in the post. “They’re about to be filed. On 11/22/22, I am officially f–king divorced. Happily divorced. God. Finally. It’s finally over. Yes!”
Bertinelli also shared the news on Twitter, writing, “11.22.22 second best day of my life.”
The former couple started dating in 2004 after being introduced through her brother Patrick. Vitale popped the question six years later and the pair exchanged vows in January 2011. The nuptials marked Bertinelli’s second marriage following her union with the late Eddie Van Halen. (The musician died at age 65 in October 2020 after a battle with cancer.)
While mourning her ex-husband’s passing, Bertinelli slammed online trolls for making comments about her body.
“Someone … decided to point out that I needed to lose weight. Because see, I don’t have a scale or I don’t have clothes that I’m trying to put on every day and I don’t have mirrors so I don’t see what’s become of me,” she quipped in an Instagram video in July 2021. “So I needed that help to let me know that I need to lose weight.”
The TV personality noted that people were “not being helpful” when they shared their opinions with her, adding, “Because when you see somebody who has put some weight on, my first thought is, ‘That person is obviously going through some things.’ … Where is the compassion? Not f—king helpful.”