Daytime fans were shocked when rumors began circulating that real-life soap couple Chad Duell (Michael Corinthos, General Hospital) and Courtney Hope (Sally Spectra, The Young and the Restless/The Bold and the Beautiful) had split up just weeks after their wedding. Many have had theories about what might have happened behind the scenes to cause a breakup so soon after their nuptials, but Duell has made his first public statement regarding the split and says "it is not what people think."
The actor was a guest on the most recent episode of GH star Maurice Benard's (Sonny Corinthos) mental health show State of Mind, where Duell took a moment to shed some light on his and Hope's personal situation.
"Out of respect to her, I'm not going to delve too much into all this stuff. All I'll say is she's an amazing person, she's an amazing woman, she's an amazing dog mom," he said. "All I have to say is positive things."
As for why the couple split, Duell states, "It's a complicated situation, and it's not what anybody thinks. I'm not going to get into detail, but it's not what people think... There wasn't anything terrible that happened, or nothing someone did to somebody else. We're still on good terms. She's an amazing person in so many ways."
Duell goes on to say that his and Hope's breakup was "just mutual" and that the split isn't actually a bona fide divorce, despite the fact that they had a big wedding last October. "We didn't actually sign anything," he reveals. "We weren't really, like, you know, married or anything, really. It was amicable, kind of just that. And that's all I can really say. We always want the best for each other."
Duell's 30-minute chat with Benard also includes details about the actor's early life, family relationship, and anxiety issues caused by insecurity. Check out the pair's full discussion in the video below, and don't forget to let us know what you think about Duell's interview in our Comments section at the end of the article.
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