Lisa Whelchel was married to Pastor for 24 years and never thought a divorce would happen to her. (2023)

Lisa Whelchel and her first husband Steven Club shocked the world when they announced their split after 24 years of marriage. Although the actress never revealed why, there were some surprising rumors.

Multi-talented actress, singer, songwriter, author and speaker Lisa Diane Whelchel is a Hollywood attraction. She began her career as a mouseketeer on The New Mickey Mouse Club and rose to fame playing Blair Warner on The Facts of Life.

In addition to the series above, Whelchel has also starred in other shows, including the competitive reality show Survivor: Philippines, in which she spent 39 days.

Lisa Whelchel attends CBS 'Survivor: Philippines' Finale and Reunion Red Carpet on December 16, 2012 at CBS Television City | Source: Getty Images

The Hollywood star also has a fascinating life away from the camera. She was married twice and divorced once. Here are more details about the actress' life, divorce and relationship.

At the actress's wedding to a pastor

On July 9, 1988, Whelchel married Steven Cauble, her first husband and assistant pastor at The Church on the Way. That same year, the actress retired from acting to start a family with her new husband.

On January 17, 1990, the couple welcomed their first child, Tucker Stephenson. The second child, Haven Katherine, was born on September 26, 1991 and the third, Clancy Elizabeth, was born on November 12, 1992.

Since welcoming her children, Whelchel has been the best mother ever, and it is thanks to her faith and belief that she has helped her achieve this.

“Faith has been central to my life since I was ten years old,” Whelchel once said.revealedduring an interview. In addition to influencing her motherhood roles, the singer's beliefs also played a significant role in her career.

A Christian with core values, Whelchel turned down several acting opportunities that made her uncomfortable. Sheexplained:

"There were a lot of opportunities I could have taken, but I wasn't comfortable."

One such job opportunity was when Whelchel turned down a guest appearance on a special episode of The Facts of Life. As a result, screen icon character Blair Warner would lose her virginity. It didn't fit with Whelchel's beliefs, so she declined to participate.

Another big break the actress didn't take was the role of Rachel Green on the popular sitcom Friends because she thought the show was going to be about sex.

Whelchel recalled reading for the role, and although it never appeared in the series, she thought the pilot script was the funniest she had ever read.

"I remember reading the pilot and saying to my husband, 'This is the funniest script I've ever read,'" Whelchel said.counted. In addition to motherhood and her career, Whelchel's beliefs also had a significant impact on her marriage.

During an interview, the mother of three revealed that she was initially hesitant about marrying Cauble but thought it was God's will for them to be together. So the authordecided"She would rather trust God than her heart."

Sadly, after more than two decades, the marriage ended in divorce, something Whelchel thought would never happen. “My goal has always been to help people. But I never thought divorce would happen to me."called.

Marriage Cracks and Painful Divorce

Lisa Whelche and her family at the 2004 TV Land Awards to be shown at The Palladium on March 17, 2004 in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images

(Video) Jason Crabb and Sonya Isaacs on Surviving Miscarriage | Dinner Conversations

Whelchel and Cauble had been married for nearly 20 years when their marriage began to fall apart in 2007. To get through the dark phase, the couple decided to seek counseling. Sadly, counseling failed to resolve their differences, and after 24 years of marriage, the couple called it quits.

After their divorce, Whelchel remained low-key about why they split. However, rumors claimed that it all led from the actress' sophisticated personality to Cauble's sexual orientation.

But Whelchel paid no attention to the speculation. "People can say what they want, but what happened in our family is between us and God," she said.countedPeople.

The number of events saddened Whelchel, as she had always believed that she and Cauble would be married forever. 'The Facts of Life' starconfessed:

"I believed with all my heart that we would be married forever and it would take something very drastic for us to get divorced."

Sadly, something drastic happened and Whelchel admitted it was heartbreaking to see their union go down the drain. Shewritten, "It was painful to realize it wasn't going to work."

Regardless of the divorce, Whelchel's vision of marriage remained intact. “Of course I still believe in marriage. I never thought a divorce would happen to me. But Steve is still my best friend. We just couldn't get married," said the star.authorized.

Despite everything that happened between them, Whelchel and Cauble still have a great relationship. you oncespecified: “We are really great friends and we love each other very much.” The Hollywood icon also revealed that nothing has changed when it comes to spending time with the family.

"We still see each other every day, go out to eat and go to the movies. We spend normal family times together - holidays, birthdays and of course Survivor," said Whelchelrevealed.

life after divorce

Lisa Whelchel attends SiriusXM Studios on Jan 07, 2020 in New York City | Source: Getty Images

After the divorce, Whelchel wanted to stay healthy and not drown in her blues. She turned to sports, which allowed her to get in shape and look better.

"The biggest step is getting off the couch to exercise. You have to find ways to exercise," said the actress.devices. She also decided to participate in Survivor: Philippines, a decision she found helpful.

“The divorce was finalized on March 1st and [I] went to see Survivor on March 10th. It was helpful for me to go on Survivor to divert my attention and not just think about the loss," said Whelchelwritten.

Even though it lasted 39 days, choosing Survivor: Philippines helped the actress get rid of all the pain and become more empathetic. ShecountedPeople:

“Personally, I have a lot more understanding and empathy now. You don't know what people go through in their lives, so it's important to love them and not judge them. That's the whole Christian message: that we have failed and forgiveness can come."

Whelchel forgave her ex-husband, which helped them remain close after that. Although they were no longer a couple, they continued to work together in the ministry.

“We still travel and work together in the ministry. The only difference is that we have two hotel rooms instead of one," said the icon.written. Cauble couldn't agree more. “We are still a family. Lisa is my best friend," he said.called.

After the divorce, Whelchel announced that she was ready for a new relationship, but no one asked her out. She was reminded that some men might be nervous to ask "Blair Warner". In response, Whelchel gave some to the men.Advice:

"Every woman wants a man who is confident enough to ask her out. It's worth taking a chance, even if she says no. But you never know - she might say yes."

New man at 56

2019, seven years after herdivorceAt age 56, Whelchel remarried to Pete Harris. Since the couple tied the knot, the couple has been constantly flaunting their love on social media, serenading each other with kind words.

The day after Valentine's Day 2021, Harris took to Instagram to talk about his wife. He shared a photo of the actress alongside a very touching caption. part of captionler:

"There's no one I'd rather be with in the valleys or on the peaks. No one I'd rather read with, meditate with, eat cereal with and hug. I love you so much."

A few months later, Whelchel returned the favor on their second wedding anniversary. On Instagram, she shared a photo of her and her husband andlabeledE:

“Happy birthday, my faithful companion. I'd rather stay home, eat cereal in bed and watch a show with you than the fanciest dinner in France."

she cameTo write, "I love being married to you." As the two seem to love each other, fans are optimistic that their union will last a lifetime.