Valerie Bertinelli says she’s 'not dating' and jokes her cat is enough for now

Valerie Bertinelli is stepping away from the dating scene for now, saying she has no plans to pursue romance in the near future as she continues focusing on her personal well-being.

The 66-year-old Food Network star and actress addressed her relationship status while promoting her latest project Love, Again, making it clear she is not ready to re-enter the dating world.

“Oh, hell no,” Bertinelli said when asked if she was open to dating again, adding candidly that “2024 sucked the life out of me.”

She joked about her current lifestyle, saying she finds comfort in her pet cat. “I sleep with a black cat. 

That tells you everything you need to know about me,” she said, referring to her 11-pound cat named Batman. “What do I need?”

Bertinelli, who has previously been married twice to rocker Eddie Van Halen and later financial planner Tom Vitale, and most recently ended a relationship with Mike Goodnough in 2024, acknowledged that she still values emotional connection despite her hesitation.

“There’s something about intimate love that I would love to have,” she said. “I have special loves in my life, my son, my family, my friends, but there’s something about intimate love that I would love to have.”

At the same time, she admitted she is cautious about opening up again. “I’m also really gun-shy,” she said, noting that recent experiences have made her more careful. “I’m gonna have to be really, really careful.”

The Hot in Cleveland actress has previously spoken about her fear of vulnerability in relationships, describing dating as “scary” following her past divorces and breakups.

Despite that, Bertinelli has said she is “very happy being single” and is not rushing into anything. 

“I want calm. I don’t want butterflies,” she shared in a recent interview, emphasizing her preference for peace over emotional chaos.