Valerie Bertinelli split from her boyfriend Mike Goodnough after friends raised concerns that he was more invested in her fame than their relationship, insiders have claimed.
The Food Network alum, 64, and the writer, 54, had been dating for 10 months before they announced the end of their short-lived romance this week.
Bertinelli, who met Goodnough over social media, had previously revealed being in a long-distance relationship was ‘challenging.’
But insiders have told DailyMail.com that Bertinelli called it quits over fears he was ‘captivated’ by her fame, with friends raising concerns from the day they met.
‘Valerie jumped into a serious relationship with a man who initially commented on her social media post, which should have been a red flag,’ said a source close to Bertinelli.
Valerie Bertinelli allegedly split from her boyfriend Mike Goodnough after friends raised concerns that he was more invested in her fame than their relationship
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‘She essentially became involved with a fan rather than someone who genuinely wanted to know her for who she is.
‘He seemed more captivated by her fame.’
The insider said the double Golden Globe winner is ‘doing okay’ in the wake of the breakup, but warned she needs to be more ‘cautious’ when it comes to love.
‘Valerie recognized this before things went too far, and she’s doing okay,’ they said. ‘Her friends had concerns from the start. Moving forward, she’ll need to be more cautious with her heart.’
A separate source claimed her tumultuous marriage to Eddie Van Halen from 1981 to 2007 has impacted her relationships.
‘She really put herself through the ringer with her marriage with Eddie Van Halen, they were both toxic for each other and that has impacted relationships she has had since,’ they said. ‘She seems to be in a never-ending circle.’
DailyMail.com has contacted Bertinelli and Goodnough for comment.
Bertinelli and Goodnough’s split was announced by People on Tuesday, with a source telling the publication: ‘They are no longer in a relationship.’
The Food Network alum, 64, and the writer, 54, had been dating for 10 months before they announced the end of their short-lived romance this week
The actress posted several seemingly cryptic posts on Instagram in the weeks leading up to the announcement, some of which alluded to heartbreak.
She shared a TikTok video featuring the words: ‘What if this life is the one that we begged for… Get my heart broken. Over and over. Cry uncontrollably in the shower. Buy myself flowers a thousand more times. Hear a beautiful song for the first time. Or fall in love. What if I made a promise that I would never forget the miracle of being here.’
She also shared positive affirmations about being ‘good enough.’
‘I hope you know that your heart is enough,’ read a passage featured on the video. ‘You’re smart enough and funny enough and interesting enough. Your light is enough. And the parts of you that you struggle with and try to hide – they’re enough too.
‘And if you just want to sit for hours and not say a single word, your presence is enough. You don’t have to talk to fill the noise. You don’t have to say anything at all. Just say true to yourself. Offer who you are and not who you think the world wants you to be. Because, I promise, your heart is enough. Your enough.’
The couple met on Instagram before growing close in January because it ‘felt familiar’ and there was a ‘comfort level.’
They went Instagram official in April and hit their first red carpet together two months later.
But in July, the actress opened up about the ‘challenging’ nature of long-distance.
Insiders have told DailyMail.com that Bertinelli called it quits over fears he was ‘captivated’ by her fame, with friends raising concerns from the day they met
The couple met on Instagram and went official on the app in April (pictured)
Goodnough addressed his new romance on his Substack, back in April, teasing the announcement via his X account
The pair were also open about their individual struggles during their short-lived union with Bertinelli juggling their relationship with her sobriety.
She also told Drew Barrymore that her mental health had been severely impacted by the menopause during an appearance on the actress’ self-titled show in September.
‘I’m at a point now where I’m eight years out but I’ve also probably had the most challenging, difficult, heartbreaking eight years of my life, in my entire 64 years,’ Bertinelli said.
Goodnough also revealed on his Substack that he had been ‘mired in a gloomy funk’ back in June.
The write was Bertinelli’s first partner in the wake of her divorce from Tom Vitale.
She was married to the financial planner from 2011 until 2022.
A separate source claimed her tumultuous marriage to Eddie Van Halen from 1981 to 2007 has impacted her relationships (pictured together in 1992)
Writing on Instagram in June she hinted that their ‘toxic’ marriage had brought out ‘triggers’ in her relationship with Goodnough.
‘Being in a relationship after healing from a toxic one will bring out some triggers you didn’t know were still buried,’ she said before adding: ‘And ain’t that the truth.’
She was previously married to guitarist Van Halen, who died in 2020, aged 65.
Bertinelli was just 20 when she married the then 27-year-old Van Halen. Their romance was blighted by his use of drugs and alcohol as well as his infidelity.
Speaking earlier this year she said their marriage devolved into ‘nothing that makes you feel loved and wanted and cared for. Nothing that would scream soulmate, that’s for sure.’