Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott's Relationship Felt 'Less Toxic' Before Split Announcement: 'They Were Definitely Trying'

The whole situation between Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott is just getting more confusing!

As Perezcious readers know, Dean shocked the world by announcing on his Instagram page late Friday night that he and Tori were going to part ways. The Chopped Canada host wrote:

“It’s with great sadness and a very very heavy heart that after 18 years together and 5 amazing children, that @torispelling and I have decided to go our separate ways and start a new journey of our own. We will continue to work together as loving parents and guide and love our children through this difficult time. We ask that you all respect our privacy as we take this time to surround our family with love and work our way through this. Thank you all for your support and kindness. .”

But just as quick as that post went up, it was removed — leaving everyone to wonder just what on earth was going on! Are they actually divorcing? Did Dean post this without Tori’s knowledge? Did they work it out afterward? Who knows!

Shortly after, sources for US Weekly came forward to claim the post was totally wrong, and that the pair are “better than ever“:

“Tori and Dean are not getting a divorce … They’ve had their ups and downs like any couple, but [they] have continued working on their marriage through couple’s counseling. They love each other and are not going to split.”

We just don’t understand. Are they saying he accidentally announced their breakup? That it was some kind of mixup? Like he meant to say “listen to next week’s podcast” and instead wrote that he and his wife of 17 years “decided to go our separate ways”??

Seriously… what’s going on??

It certainly seemed from the outside that the couple had been doing better recently after going through a rough patch — they looked loved up in public lately! Well, an insider close to the Beverly Hills 90210 alum confirmed that on Tuesday, expressing their shock to People:

“Their friends have seen their ups and downs through the years, but they really did seem to be in a good place in recent months. This feels really out of the blue.”

Even their friends’ heads were spun by this sudden announcement, it seems. The source continued on to say they believed things were getting better for Tori and Dean in the “past six months”:

“If this had happened a year ago, it would’ve been expected because things were terrible between them. Sure, they still had their disagreements and didn’t always see eye to eye, but the past six months things had felt good between them.”

They were even apparently much “more in tune” with each other as they really strived to make their marriage work, the insider claims:

“They were definitely trying in the last few months though, and things felt way less toxic. They also made an effort to make holidays and milestones special, and were much more in tune with each other. It’s been a night-and-day difference from the last couple years.”

The couple may have been making an effort to make “holidays and milestones” more special before, but not anymore! Less than two days after the split announcement misfire was Father’s Day — and Tori didn’t even bother to make a post for Dean. Nada. So even if they were doing well before, they certainly don’t seem to be now!

Such a strange situation that’s leaving us with more questions than answers… Reactions, Perezcious readers?

[Image via Access Hollywood /YouTube]