This kitchen’s closed for Valerie Bertinelli.
The 63-year-old “Hot in Cleveland” alum’s final episode of “Kids Baking Championship” aired on Monday.
Filmed in the summer of 2022 — which she would later call her “apex year of hell” — Bertinelli and co-host Duff Goldman, 49, dressed in outfits to match the finale episode’s themed spirit and science days.
Goldman shared snaps of his co-host on Instagram, writing, “Watch as the kids make tie-dye doughnuts then prepare for a science fair!” he wrote on Instagram. “Lots of colors and erupting in tonight’s episode.”
Spoiler alert ahead: Tween baker Lila Smethurst, 12, was crowned the winner of Season 12 of the kiddo baking competition.
Bertinelli, who has been with the series since its start in 2015, announced in January that Season 12 would be her last.
“I wanted to sleep on it because it really hurt my feelings, and I know it’s not supposed to,” Bertinelli said in her Instagram video announcement. “Logically, I know that it’s business, budget cuts, right? But it really hurt my feelings to know that I’m not going to be asked back to be on ‘Kids Baking Championship,’” she said. “Really sucks.”
The Golden Globe winner officially filed for divorce from ex-husband, financial planner Tom Vitale, in May 2022. It was her second marriage as she was with late rocker Eddie Van Halen from 1981 until 2007.
About her tough 2022, Bertinelli continued in her video, “I was going through it and pretending everything was just fine because that’s what you do. And without sounding like a drama queen, the show saved my life.”
She credited her fellow cast and crew members and knowning that the show would help “spread some kindness” for helping her through the diffuclt time.
“It was like a flotation device,” she continued, “So it really hurts that I won’t be able to go back and see everybody and say, ‘Hey! I made it through, hi!’”
In April 2023, Bertinelli claimed to have “no idea why” her Food Network show “Valerie’s Home Cooking” had been canceled after 14 seasons.
“So this is it. This is the final season,” Bertinelli said in another Instagram video announcement at the time. “I have loved making this show. It was such a dream come true. Every single part of it brought me so much joy. I love the crew. I loved everybody in production. They loved making this show for you.”
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Erin Keller
