(YouTube)
Robert Herjavec, who is considered the “nice one” on Shark Tank, has been married to Diane Pelse, a Croatian optometrist, for 25 years.
On March 3, Herjavec told TMZ that they legally separated. This news coincided with his rehearsals for Dancing With the Stars. As he begins his stint on the competition, learn more about how he met his soon-to-be-ex wife, their lavish lifestyle and what he had to say about it all.
To read all of Heavy’s Shark Tank coverage, click here.
1. Robert’s ‘DWTS’ Partner May Be a Reason
For this season of Dancing with the Stars, Herjavec, 51, is partnered with pro Kym Johnson, who also danced with Mark Cuban when he was a contestant in 2007.
Of course, when news of the split surfaced, people assumed Johnson,38,was the reason. In the video above, we get a sneak peek into their rehearsal, which true to DWTS form, involves lots of intimate moves.
She has been posting many Instagram pictures with her partner like the one below, with the caption, “Our dancing is so hot it’s illegal in the state of New Jersey!”
Herjavec also posted this Twitter picture of them on his private jet the same day he announced his split:
Heading to #nyc for @HerjavecGroup business — gotta rehearse somewhere!! #sharkaroo @kym_johnson http://t.co/WfejRwn2Oc
2. They Live in a Mansion in Canada
In the video below, from 2013, they are interviewed for Montreal Home. Their lavish house, a French-style chateau, is located in Toronto’s Bridle Path.
“I think Diane has an incredible sense of style and always has,” Herjavec gushes in the clip.
The Shark is known for his penchant for collecting and racing cars. In an interview with PRN magazine, he explained the problem with his garage was the fact that his wife needed a spot as well. “One day she comes home, it’s pouring rain and she says, ‘We’re in a 50,000 square foot house and I can’t park inside the garage!’ I said, ‘What’s the problem?’ he said.
He’s already welcomed Johnson into his world of racing, and on March 6, posted a picture on Twitter, with the dancer inside a Ferrari with the caption, “Brace yourself @kym_johnson !! Now you’re entering MY comfort zone.”
Brace yourself @kym_johnson !! Now you’re entering MY comfort zone @DancingABC #DWTS #sharkaroo http://t.co/ivIleY9hMa
3. They Have 3 Children
The pair has two daughters and a son, Caprice, Skye, and Brendan, and keep them out of Hollywood’s glare. In fact, Herjavec was once a stay-at-home dad while Plese worked.
As far as balancing family and business, he told MSN Autos, “You know, I think as busy as I am I always make time for my kids. I was always very lucky. I sold my first company, made a lot of money and stayed home for three years. So, I have a great relationship with my kids. But I think it’s hard to balance. I really do. I think you have to make some choices.”
When his wife stopped practicing, he returned to work. “I turned 40, my wife stopped working and I said, ‘Man, I have to get out of the house.’ That was really it. The idea of being retired was wonderful for one year, but after three, I was just too young to stay retired,” he told Business New Daily.
4. Diane Met Robert When He Was Her Patient
.@ABCSharkTank star #RobertHerjavec and his wife have called it quits: http://t.co/UewGAQGdCI http://t.co/aOGu2Y0MlC
The former lovebirds met when he went for an eye appointment, and according to National Post, it was love at first sight. According to Daily Entertainment, they married at a Croatian church in Mississauga, near Toronto.
They met when Herjavec was 26, way before he become a millionaire. (Now his net worth is $100 million.) They both are the children of Croatian immigrants. In an interview with Squawk Fox, Herjavec talked about a question he once asked his wife. “…I said, ‘What do we have today that you couldn’t imagine ten years ago?’ And she said, ‘A private plane.’ The world that we come from, the thought that somebody would have their own plane,” he said.
5. Robert Made a Statement
(ABC)
“Human relationships are so difficult,” Herjavec said in his statement to TMZ. “I wish nothing but love and peace for our family as we move forward from this.”
There has been no statement yet from Plese. But in the past Plese has said this about their love story, “He’s so excited about life. How can you not want to be with someone who is so happy and motivated?” She also was active on Twitter in the past, frequently promoting her husband’s reality show.
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Robert Herjavec & His Wife Split: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know