“Lisa Whelchel Divorces Husband Of 24 Years Prior To Joining CBS’s Survivor TV Show, They Have Three Children”
Whelchel Will Continues To Be Friends With Ex-Husband Despite Split
Lisa Whelchel is one of CBS’ first celebrity “Survivor” contestants, but no one knew that she is also a survivor in real life. Better known as preppy Blair Warner from the 80s sitcom “Facts of Life,” she quietly split from her husband of 24 years, Steve Cauble, earlier this year.
“The divorce was final on March 1, and (I) went out to be on ‘Survivor’ on March 10,” she told People magazine. “Going out to ‘Survivor’ was helpful for me, to divert my attention and not just dwell on the loss.”
Whelchel and Cauble have three grown children together, and the split is mutual.
“We will always be friends,” she told the magazine. “And we will always be family too.”
Whelchel, who has worked with Cauble, 61, in a Christian ministry since “The Facts of Life” ended in 1988, said she herself was shocked at the decision.
“I just never thought it would happen to me,” she said. “It was painful to realize that it wasn’t going to work out.”
The competitor and avid “Survivor” fan said she happened onto the show by chance after her friends and family encouraged her to audition for it.
“I’ve watched it from the very first episode, and had ‘Survivor’ parties with my family,” she told Entertainment Weekly prior to the show’s premiere Wednesday night.
“A friend of mine said, ‘Let’s just film a little iPhone video of you and you can put it on our Twitter and ask all your followers to retweet it. And maybe they’ll contact you and know you want to be on the show.’ And that’s what happened,” Whelchel said.