It’s been quite a journey for Ricki Lake over the past couple of years. The iconic talk show host has faced more than her fair share of darkness, but now it seems she's found a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. In an emotional moment at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour on February 6, Ricki opened up about rediscovering love. “I found love again,” the 50-year-old said with a radiant smile, according to People.
But this isn’t just any love. Ricki was referring to her late husband, Christian Evans, whose tragic death due to mental illness and suicide left a profound impact on her life. “My husband, who passed from mental illness and suicide—it’ll be two years on February 11,” she explained. “And I just recently found a brilliant new love.”
View this post on InstagramThis is what happy looks like. ❤️
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A New Love Story
Ricki’s new love is Jeff Scult, the founder of the clothing brand One Golden Thread. Jeff has brought a renewed sense of joy into Ricki's life, something she thought she might never experience again after Christian's passing. “He’s making me really happy,” Ricki shared, beaming with excitement. “We’ve been together for three-and-a-half months. We met through a mutual friend.”
Rediscovering Love After Loss
Despite finding happiness once more, Ricki admitted that she never thought she’d fall in love again after the loss of her beloved husband. “I found true love with my husband who passed, so I’m hoping to find love again,” she said in October 2018. “I don’t think I will. I’m open to it, but I think what I had — I was so lucky to have found that. It’s what everybody wants in life.”
During their two-year marriage, Ricki and Christian faced numerous challenges, including Christian's battle with bipolar disorder. His manic episodes eventually led to their separation in 2014, when Ricki filed for divorce. However, the couple remained in a relationship until September 2016, highlighting the complexity of their bond.
After Christian's death, Ricki, who once called him her “true, unconditional love,” expressed her desire to find a similar connection again. “But I feel like lightning doesn’t strike twice,” she admitted. As a mother of two—sons Milo, 21, and Owen, 17, with ex-husband Rob Sussman—Ricki added, “I had the real deal; I just didn’t have it as long as I wanted it.”
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New Adventures in Acting
Alongside her newfound love, Ricki has also embarked on a fresh acting venture by joining The Masked Singer, a secretive singing competition where celebrities compete while disguised in elaborate costumes. “For me, the raven and what it represented [was] the loss of my husband,” Ricki revealed during the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour. “So much of the last year-and-a-half has been getting over my darkest, terrible loss. It really resonated with me.”
Through her experience on the show, Ricki gained valuable insights into her life. “Looking back on my life, I have a bird’s eye view. From death to love to birthing you, my greatest joy is being a mother to my flock,” she reflected.
