RadarOnline.com can reveal Doherty's longtime friend, Kelly Ripa , recalled the heartbreaking moment the dying actress argued her disease made her a "tough sell" as a romantic partner.
The Live with Kelly and Mark host said it was the last conversation she had with Doherty before the Charmed star's death at just 53 years old.
Kelly Ripa recalled the last conversation she had with Doherty in a new interview. MEGA
Ripa, also 53, told the story in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, explaining she was eager to play matchmaker for Doherty, who had gone through three failed marriages.
She recalled "constantly trying to set her up with people" over the course of their friendship, adding: "I always had an idea in my mind as to who might be a good match with Shannen."
Even at the eleventh hour of Doherty's illness, Ripa was determined to help her make a love connection, she said.
The TV personality revealed: "But the last conversation, she actually said to me, 'You know, i'm kind of a tough sell, because I don't have a lot of time left.'"
Ripa described feeling "very crushed" because her friend "seemed to know that her time was very, very limited."
She added: "But I will say that she was telling me about her treatments , and it was so brutal and painful, and it sounds very glib, but the fact that she's no longer in pain, in physical pain, I think provides everyone who knew and loved her with a little peace."
Doherty died on July 13 after a nine-year battle with breast cancer. mega
Just weeks earlier, she had gone on Ripa's Let's Talk Off Camera podcast for one of her last interviews.
Their conversation touched on the morning show host's matchmaking efforts, with Doherty saying: "Kelly is awesome, because I just saw her when I did her show and at the commercial break, she was like, 'Are you ready? Are you ready to date? Are you ready for a boyfriend? I’m going to find you someone.'
"She started asking me like, 'What’s your list? What do you need?' She was like, 'Oh, I think I got somebody in mind.'"
She settled her divorce with third husband Kurt Iswarienko the day before her death. MEGA
The late actress had also said in a 2023 interview with People that she was "open" to finding love again.
She told the outlet: "I don’t think I’m going to be single forever. I have to love myself and reckon with the past, really, before I can move forward, and now I’m pretty sure I’ll meet somebody — hopefully soon."
But she was still dealing with her third divorce up until her death.
Doherty served her husband of 11 years, photographer Kurt Iswarienko , with divorce papers in April 2023 — and court records showed settled the case on July 12 of this year, the day before she died.
Before Iswarienko, Doherty was married to Rick Salomon from 2002 to 2022. She also wed Ashley Hamilton in 1993, but they split in 1994.
The end of her life was so sad, especially the way her husband filed for a divorce and wanted everything she had, including all of her money and the house. He was so narcissistic, greedy, and despicable when he should have been loving & supportive man to her, so she could pass on in peace
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