Howie Mandel reveals his wife Terry gave him an ULTIMATUM to force him to finally get treatment for OCD – after years of making his family ‘miserable’ with his mental health condition
Howie Mandel has revealed that his wife Terry gave him an ultimatum that pushed him to get treatment for his OCD – after he made his family ‘miserable’ with his condition.
The America’s Got Talent judge, 67, was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder in his late 40s, but struggled to seek help from healthcare professionals who put a strain on his loved ones.
Opening up about his journey to self-acceptance, Howie admitted: ‘I won’t be seeing a therapist. I will not go see a psychiatrist. I will not talk about the word mental health at all.
‘I would let my children and my wife spray everything and not touch things. I will not take things that are handed to them.
Howie Mandel credits his wife Terry for getting him professional help with his OCD
The AGT judge admitted he made his family ‘miserable’ before he got his diagnosis
‘I would remove some of their toys that I saw hit the ground. I made their life miserable.’
Howie revealed that his wife Terry – to whom he has been married for 43 years and shares three grown-up children – encouraged him to seek help.
“My wife just gave me an ultimatum,” he recalled Today.com. “She says: “I can’t do it anymore and I can’t let the kids do it anymore. And if you don’t get help, that’s it.”
“So, it was an ultimatum that finally got me to go to therapy, and I was diagnosed (with OCD).”
Howie praised his supportive wife, adding: ‘It’s important to have people around you who are there for you. That’s the key, but they don’t know to be there for you if you don’t talk about it.’
Howie’s admission about his OCD journey comes as he revealed that he hopes his America’s Got Talent co-star Sofia Vergara finds a new man quickly following her split from husband Joe Manganiello.
The Modern Family actress (51) is newly single after she and True Blood actor Joe announced in July that they were going their separate ways after eight years of marriage.
“I love Sofía Vergara,” Howie gushed. “I find her amazing, first, in no particular order, beautiful, smart, funny.”
Howie Mandel hopes his America’s Got Talent co-host Sofia Vergara finds love again quickly after her split from Joe Manganiello
Sofia and Joe announced their divorce in February after eight years of marriage
Talk to Peoplehe added that Sofia ‘deserves to be with someone as soon as possible.’
Sofia and Howie both serve as judges on the long-running competition series America’s Got Talent.
Howie has been a mainstay on the panel since 2010, when he replaced David Hasselhoff (71), while Sofia joined the show in 2020 alongside Heidi Klum (50).
The trio sit next to series creator, Simon Cowell (64), who made his judging debut in 2011 after Howard Stern’s retirement.
Sofia and Joe (46) tied the knot in Florida in 2015, but have now decided to go their separate ways.
Sources have exclusively told DailyMail.com that the pair drifted apart because of their ‘different attitudes’ – after first bonding over opposites.
In a statement announcing their separation, the couple shared: ‘We have made the difficult decision to separate.
“As two people who deeply love and care for each other, we politely ask for respect for our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.”
Howie enthused that newlywed Sofia ‘deserves to be with someone ASAP’
Joe cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ when he filed for divorce, with Sofia agreeing
Joe previously cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ when he filed for divorce two days after the couple announced their split, with Sofia responding with the same reason for the split in her July 26 filing.
In addition to requesting that the court follow the terms of their prenuptial agreement, she also asked that she be allowed to keep her jewelry, artwork and “other personal effects,” which she considered assets.
Last week, Sofia’s Modern Family co-star Julie Bowen – who was one of the first to show public support for Sofia following the news of her split – gave curious fans an update on her friend who is calling it quits.
The 53-year-old actress told People that Sofia is ‘doing well’, adding: ‘Her Instagram says it all. We talked, and she is fine.
“Sofia has always had such a wonderful family surrounding her and wonderful friends.”
Julie went on to praise Sofia as someone she looks up to, explaining: ‘Sofía has always been my role model as far as embracing women and femininity, and yet also being powerful and not… I always felt like you had have to go one for the other.’
The marriage was not a first for Sofia, who was married to Joe Gonzalez from 1991 to 1993. She and her ex-husband share son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara (32).