Shannen Doherty is divorcing her husband of 11 years. She felt she was 'left with no other option'.

Shannen Doherty has been in some of the most-watched TV shows, from 90210 to Charmed and BH90210.

But for the last eight years, she's been dealing with breast cancer, the death of her best friend and the breakdown of her marriage. 

Doherty began acting at age 10; but it was joining Beverly Hills, 90210 in 1990 that made her one of the most recognisable faces in the US. 

The series centred around the lives of high school students living in the world's "sexiest" postcode. It became the teen phenomenon of the '90s.

Watch this clip from BH90210. Post continues after video. 

Despite the show ending over two decades ago, fans are still interested in the feuds and the drama surrounding the cast. It's something that's always confused Doherty. 

Unfortunately for Doherty, her character – Brenda Walsh – was less than popular as the high school villain of the series. 

It was also rumoured she had the most bratty behaviour on set – something Doherty vehemently denies even 23 years later.

The cast of BH90210. Image: FOX.

"It got pretty crazy. You're being written about on a regular basis and 98 per cent of it is complete lies, so it's very hard to read about yourself and not have a reaction," she explained. 

"And back then, you didn't have social media, so it's not like I could go on my Twitter account and refute the story, and say, 'Wow, this is a lie, I wasn't even there, this is what really happened'.

Doherty added, "I could not put my story out there, so I think it was a difficult time but honestly I was so blessed to have had the opportunity to be on a show like 90210 and experience that level of fame and fandom. How can you complain about any of the bad when the good outweighs everything?"

For the last eight years, Doherty has been open about her battle with breast cancer. She was first diagnosed in March 2015. 

"There was a lump, and I had a mammogram and then a biopsy," Doherty told Health Magazine in February 2019.

"When I got the results, I was in the car with my mum and I just knew. The longer I sat, the more it started sinking in. Then I started crying. I called my husband and told him. And from there, I just put together a team." 

Image: Instagram @theshando.

After two years of treatment, Doherty announced she was in remission. 

But in February 2020, the actress said the cancer had returned, and this time, it had progressed to Stage 4. 

"It’s going to come out in a matter of days or a week that – I’m stage IV. So my cancer came back. And that’s why I’m here," she told Good Morning America at the time. 

"I don’t think I’ve processed it. It’s a bitter pill to swallow in a lot of ways."

The news of her cancer battle came just four months after the death of her Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star Luke Perry. He had passed away after a massive stroke.

"It’s so weird for me to be diagnosed and then somebody who was, you know, seemingly healthy to go first," she said.

"It was really, like, shocking. And the least I could do to honour him was to do [reboot BH90210]... One of the reasons, along with Luke, that I did 90210 and didn’t really tell anybody [was] because I thought, 'People can look at that [and see] other people with stage IV can work too'.

"Like, you know, our life doesn’t end the minute we get that diagnosis. We still have some living to do."

By her side the entire time was her husband of 11 years, photographer Kurt Iswarienko.

Instagram @theshando.

"My marriage was always strong, but [the cancer battle] has made my marriage a thousand times stronger," the actor told ET in 2016. "He’s never missed a chemo. He’s never missed a sick day."

The pair began dating in 2008 before tying the knot in 2011. 

In April 2023, Doherty's lawyers filed for divorce. 

"Divorce is the last thing Shannen wanted. Unfortunately, she felt she was left with no other option," Doherty’s rep, Leslie Sloane, told People, claiming that Iswarienko’s agent was "intimately involved" in their split. 

Listen to The Spill, Mamamia's daily entertainment podcast. Post continues after audio. 

In August 2016, Doherty praised Iswarienko for lending her strength and support while she battled cancer. 

She recalled the moment she told her husband she had cancer for the first time, sharing that he was waiting in the driveway for her after telling him the news over the phone. 

"[He] hugged me and said, 'We are going to get through this. You are going to be OK. We are going to get through this, you’re strong and you’re powerful and you’re not going anywhere,'" she told ET. 

"'You have so much to do in your life. We are going to get through it as a family.'"

On the same day the announcement of their divorce was made, Doherty shared a cryptic quote on Instagram.

"The only people who deserve to be in your life are the ones who treat you with love, kindness, and respect," it read.

Prior to her marriage to Iswarienko, Doherty was married to Ashley Hamilton from 1993 to 1994, and Rick Salomon from 2002 to 2003.

Feature Image: Getty/Instagram @theshando.

Read more on Shannen Doherty: 

• Shannen Doherty has passed away after battling cancer for 9 years, aged 53.
• Shannen Doherty battled cancer for 9 years before her death. Her ex-husband made her suffer until the end.
• Shannen Doherty says Alyssa Milano 'blocked' her visits when Holly Marie Combs was in hospital.
• Shannen Doherty was divorcing her husband of 11 years. She felt she was 'left with no other option'.

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