Ricki Lake believes her late ex-husband is "guiding" her life.
Ricki Lake
The 50-year-old star was distraught when Christian Evans took his own life in 2017 but she thinks she's had a "second chance" after falling for Jeffrey Scult, 53, six months ago.
She said: "My relationship with Jeffrey is the healthiest one I've ever had. I believe in love. And I believe in second chances.
"We all have our own journey. But magic has come from even the hardest days. I feel Christian guiding me, and I believe he's brought Jeffrey into my life."
But the 'Hairspray' star didn't want to rush into a new romance with the clothing company owner.
She said: "We really took it slow. Jeffrey knew my heart was in a very precious state, and he had reverence for that."
Ricki fell into depression after Christian - who suffered from bipolar disorder - passed away and didn't think she'd find love again.
She said: "I really felt like meeting Christian was like lightning striking. I didn't think it would strike twice, and I was okay with it.
"For a long time, I didn't think I'd ever be happy again."
But eventually, the talk show host accepted life alone and thinks that was what opened up her life to finding a new relationship.
She told People magazine: "[Eventually] I was OK by myself. I wasn't lonely, I wasn't desperate. And I think you've got to love yourself and be okay on your own before you're open [to a relationship]."
Ricki - who was married to Christian until 2015 - previously admitted she wishes she could have saved her former spouse, but ultimately knew she couldn't though she did her best.
She said: "It was like living with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I wanted to save him, but I couldn't. I was still supporting him, financially and emotionally."
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