Cameron Mathison revealed he was having marriage issues during his 2007 Dancing with the Stars gig just days before announcing his divorce on Wednesday.
During his July 21 appearance on Cheryl Burke‘s podcast Sex, Lies and Spray Tans, the 54-year-old General Hospital star opened up about the ‘challenging time’ he faced with his estranged wife Vanessa Arevalo, 57, whom he married in 2002.
The handsome actor admitted he requested a different dance partner after being paired with the attractive and often scantily-clad Edyta Sliwinska for Season 5, a situation that might have complicated his already rocky relationship at the time.
‘I watched the show, so I knew Edyta,’ he explained on the podcast. ‘She’s a very beautiful woman, and I actually called Dina Katz, who at the time was casting director, I called her and I said, “Listen, I’m so happy that you’ve offered me the show. I can’t wait. I’m in. Just do me a favor. Put me with anybody but Edyta.”‘
He continued, ‘Because I knew my wife and I, we were going through a little bit of a challenge at that time, and Edyta didn’t wear a lot of clothes.’
Cameron Mathison revealed he was having marriage issues during his 2007 Dancing with the Stars gig just days before announcing his divorce from Vanessa Arevalo on Wednesday; (Cameron and Vanessa seen in 2022)
The handsome actor admitted he requested a different dance partner after being paired with the attractive and often scantily-clad Edyta Sliwinska for Season 5, a situation that might have complicated his already rocky relationship at the time; (Cameron and Edyta in 2007)
Ultimately, Cameron remained with Śliwińska and finished in fifth place.
‘Vanessa was a trooper,’ Cameron admitted. ‘We’d recently gone through a bunch of stuff, and it wasn’t great timing and I was off in LA spending time with this beautiful woman, dressed up, against her, sweating with her 5 hours a day rehearsing, and then doing all the press and touring stuff together, and it was really hard.’
The former All My Children star also mentioned that DWTS was drawing ‘Super Bowl-level ratings’ at the time, and he and Śliwińska frequently confided in each other and bonded over the intensity of the competition.
‘You become really close, and it works for the show, and it works for the people that are watching the show, but it doesn’t work for the family at home,’ he said.
On Wednesday, Cameron and Vanessa announced their divorce in an emotional statement shared with ET.
The post read: ‘After 22 years of marriage, we have made the difficult decision to part ways.
‘We enter this new chapter with deep love, kindness, and respect for each other. We hold gratitude in our hearts for the wonderful years we shared together.
‘Our children have been and will continue to be our highest priority, and we will forever share in our devotion and love for them.
‘I watched the show, so I knew Edyta,’ he explained on the podcast. ‘She’s a very beautiful woman, and I actually called Dina Katz, who at the time was casting director, I called her and I said, ‘Listen, I’m so happy that you’ve offered me the show. I can’t wait. I’m in. Just do me a favor. Put me with anybody but Edyta,” (Edyta in 2009)
He continued, ‘Because I knew my wife and I, we were going through a little bit of a challenge at that time, and Edyta didn’t wear a lot of clothes,’ (Edyta and Joey Lawrence in 2009)
General Hospital star Cameron and wife Vanessa Arevalo have split after 22 years of marriage – pictured 2022
The pair share two children – son Lucas, 21, and daughter Leila, 18 – pictured 2016
‘We remain friends, and both wish the best for one another. We sincerely appreciate your respect for our family’s privacy during this transition.’
The pair share two children – son Lucas, 21, and daughter Leila, 18.
They married on July 27 2002 after former All My Children star Cameron had proposed in Vail, Colorado.
The couple first met met in 1998 when they were models working in New York City and sparked up a romance the following year.
Cameron previously played Ryan Lavery on All My Children from 1998-2011.
In 2022 Vanessa guest-starred on General Hospital as an executive coach named Mia in three episodes.
She told ET at the time: ‘This was an absolute dream come true.’
Cameron added: ‘We were both nervous. I was nervous. I can tell Vanessa was nervous… then I started getting even more nervous.’
Discussing their romance, he said: ‘We’ve been married 20 years coming up this summer, and it hasn’t all been smooth, for sure. We went through rocky times the first five years.
Cameron, 54, and Vanessa, 57 announced their divorce in an emotional statement shared with ET . The post read: ‘After 22 years of marriage, we have made the difficult decision to part ways – pictured 2005
Cameron has played Drew Cain on General Hospital since 2021
In 2022 Vanessa guest-starred on General Hospital as an executive coach named Mia in three episodes
Cameron previously played Ryan Lavery on All My Children from 1998-2011
The split comes five years after Cameron revealed he was battling kidney cancer. Mathison announced his diagnosis with renal cell carcinoma on September 9 2019 and underwent surgery to remove the tumor the same month
‘Getting through those times, and getting to call Vanessa my best friend and fully enjoy every moment together, it’s been better than I could have ever imagined marriage being for me.’
The split comes five years after Cameron revealed he was battling kidney cancer.
Mathison announced his diagnosis with renal cell carcinoma on September 9 2019 and underwent surgery to remove the tumor the same month.
He was later deemed cancer-free.
Renal cell carcinoma is a rare condition but the most common form of the disease to strike adults.