Valerie Bertinelli claimed the Food Network “basically ghosted” her just before they laid her off as the host of “Kids Baking Championship.”
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday, the “One Day at a Time” alum said the reports that “talks stalled” between her management and the culinary network over her contract were “a tad misleading.”
She said, “There were never any talks, so no talks could be stalled. I got an inkling I might not be asked back when I saw I was not in the holiday specials. I got a text by a third party on Friday that told me I would not be back. LOL I was basically ghosted.”
She also disputed the claims that a new contract was “absolutely discussed” but didn’t move forward because her team “decided they want more.”
“I have zero ill will toward anyone at FN,” she wrote in a separate tweet.
“I enjoyed every single moment I worked for them, and they are all lovely, kind, hard-working people. And I understand business is business. But I won’t tolerate lies. I am a lot of things, but I am not greedy, nor am I a liar.”
Food Network did not get back to Pvnew for comment.
Just one day before her social media comments, Bertinelli shared an Instagram video where she confirmed her layoff after being on the show for 12 seasons.
“I’ve been avoiding facing what I got confirmation of last night, and I didn’t want to talk about it last night [because] I wanted to sleep on it because it really hurt my feelings,” the 63-year-old chef said.
“I know it’s not supposed to. Logically, I know it’s business [and] 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’ — really sucks.”
Despite her sadness, Bertinelli — who has been hosting the show since its premiere in 2015 — only had kind words for the show and its contestants.
“Oh my God, these people work so hard to give you an amazing show,” she shared. “And all of those kids bakers that I got to watch grow up: I feel so lucky. And to all the bakers [who] are coming in for the new season, even though I won’t be there, I’ll be with you in spirit.
“I just want you to remember this: You are there for a reason [and] you’re some of the best bakers in America right now and if you don’t make it to the next round, please always remember [that] it’s not because you’re not a good baker, you just had a bad day.”
The cookbook author also explained that without trying to sound like a “drama queen,” the “show saved my life” and served as a “floatation device” during tough times.
In the last couple of years, Bertinelli has had to deal with the death of one of her ex-husbands while divorcing another one.
In November 2022, Bertinelli finalized her divorce from her second husband, Tom Vitale, after nearly 10 years of marriage.
“My lawyer just called. The papers are all signed. They’re about to be filed,” she said in a video at the time. “On 11/22/22, I am officially f–king divorced. Happily divorced. Finally. It’s finally over.”
Two years before that, she mourned the death of her first ex-husband, Eddie Van Halen, who died after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 65.
Even though the former couple went on to marry other people, they remained friends and grew closer during Van Halen’s illness. Bertinelli was at his bedside when he died.
