NEED TO KNOW
Teddi Mellencamp’s new man knows how to keep her spirits high.
On the June 20 episode of her podcast Diamonds in the Rough podcast, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, 43, opened up about needing to find a partner who accepts where she is in life. Mellencamp is currently receiving treatment for stage 4 cancer and navigating her divorce from husband Edwin Arroyave.
“I’ve had to make it clear to people I’ve dated [that] this is where I am. This is what I’ve got,” Mellencamp told her co-host Erika Girardi. “If it’s enough for you, great. If it’s not enough, I won’t be upset. I mean, yes, my feelings will probably be hurting, but this is all I got to give. And if that’s enough, great.”
Teddi Mellencamp/instagram
After confirming that she is “dating the same guy” — who she has yet to name — the reality star gushed about him.
“I haven’t had to say any of those things, but he is really sweet and kind,” she shared. “He came and picked us up this week from the show, and he could tell that I was down. He sat and watched, like, one million hours of horse show rounds. He’s just a good guy… I know I deserve it, and it’s really nice.”
However, she made clear that she would be OK if he walked away, explaining, “If for some reason you realize you need somebody that doesn’t have three kids, 1 million activities to do, 87 podcasts, you want more time than I’m able to give? I would not be mad at you for not even a second. He’s like, ‘I am willing to do anything to be able to spend time with you.’”
Girardi, 53, showed her support for the pair as she recalled meeting Mellencamp’s boyfriend, “Do you know what he said to me in the driveway when I first met him? ‘Teddi’s such a really good girl.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, she really is.’”
She told her co-host, “He knows you differently than the rest of the people that watch you.”
Mellencamp admitted that she has softened as navigates her divorce and cancer journey, sharing, “I give hugs now because I felt what it feels like to maybe never have another one again. I definitely feel like I have a softer side to me.”
Mellencamp’s comments come less than a month after she was spotted cozying up to a man during a walk in Encino, Calif.
The pair were photographed out on a stroll together on June 1, with the man wrapping his arm around Mellencamp’s shoulders and waist as she placed a hand on his arm.
On the June 3 episode of her Two Ts In A Pod podcast with Tamra Judge, Mellencamp revealed that she is dating the man in the pictures. “Yes, I’m dating a guy and yesterday we went on a walk and we went to Gelson’s and then we went to the mall to pick up [her daughter Slate’s graduation dress],” Mellencamp said, adding that that he is “very kind” and has been “helping her.”
“And he doesn’t stay at the house with the kids, but we go to workouts together, we’ve gone on dates, he’s been really nice, he’s very kind to me,” she continued.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Mellencamp’s update about her love life comes nearly nine months after she announced her split from Arroyave in a statement on Instagram after 13 years of marriage.
“After a great deal of care and consideration, I have made the difficult decision to file for divorce,” she shared in part. “My priority is my children and ensuring that every care is taken with their privacy and wellbeing throughout this new chapter.”
Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Mellencamp confirmed she had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in April after her melanoma metastasized to her brain and lungs. She previously received treatment for melanoma in 2022, and had 17 melanomas, a cancer of the skin, removed.
Last month, Mellencamp shared a health update. The television personality said that she was responding to immunotherapy but she will need to continue to have the treatment for the next two years.
Despite their split, Mellencamp and Arroyave have remained on friendly terms as he often shows up to support her in the hospital and they spend time together outside of the hospital.