Maintaining a marriage in Hollywood is a tough job, no matter what kind of star you are!
Now, to clarify, despite recent rumors to the contrary, Dr. Phil is not divorced.
But, their marriage was once annulled – a fact that even longtime fans may not be aware of.
This is because self-help gurus rarely mention their first journey. And in fairness to Phil, there’s good reason for it.
Phil has been married to his current wife, Robin McGrath, since 1976, but he was married once before – and it didn’t last very long.
How his first marriage ended
Phil married Debbie Higgins McCall in 1970, when he was 20 years old.
By all accounts, the marriage was not a happy one.
“I was a big football player and she was a cheerleader. “It was just the next thing to do,” Phil once said. newsweekStating that he and Debbie parted ways on amicable terms:
“We never had any crosswords,” he said. “We just sat down and said, ‘Why did we do this?’”
Debbie claims the relationship ended due to Phil’s infidelity, but we’ll never know for sure what caused the young couple to go their separate ways.
Whatever the case, Phil has good reason to rarely mention his first marriage.
Besides the fact that it ended on bad terms, it also ended 50 years ago!
Dr. Phil and Robin McGraw: Are They Still Together?
Fortunately, Phil had much better luck in his second marriage.
He and Robin have been married for nearly 50 years and have two children, Jay McGraw and Jordan McGraw.
Robin and Phil began dating when he was in the process of getting his first marriage annulled, and they married at the first opportunity.
As they approach 50, both parties are often asked the secret to a long, successful marriage.
Not surprisingly, they both say communication and honesty are key.
And in the McGraws’ case, that formula was so successful that they never even fight!
“We don’t fight, and that’s because we had that conversation early on and I told him it wasn’t natural for me to live in a house where people are yelling and screaming – my parents didn’t like that I didn’t do that and I don’t want to live in a house like that,” Robin once said you are new magazine (via) hollywood life,
“She understood this and never raised her voice in front of me. We don’t fight.”
How retirement saved their marriage
Phil’s long-running talk show may be over, but that doesn’t mean he’s sitting at home enjoying a quiet retirement.
The Texas native’s new TV network Street Media is launching today, and it could be a Very Attractive venture.
And no matter what happens, Phil is sure to benefit from Robin’s continued support in this exciting new phase of his career!