Dr. Phil & His Wife Robin Have Faced Divorce Rumors Over The Years

Phil McGraw, aka Dr. Phil, may be one of the most iconic names in the history of daytime television, but his successful career has not made him immune to scrutiny. From the toxic workplace scandal he couldn't escape to his high-profile legal troubles that seem to be never-ending, Phil has certainly drawn a lot of critical eyes in recent years. Some onlookers have questioned the strength of Phil's marriage to longtime wife Robin McGraw as well. After all, Phil's marriage to first wife Debbie Higgins McCall ended in rather short order, and their are some pretty strange things about his relationship with Robin. Though, to be fair to the McGraws, one of those idiosyncrasies is their utter aversion to being apart from one another for too long. So, it should come as no surprise that they've been quick to shut down persistent rumors that they're headed for Splitsville.

Arguably the most inflammatory rumor originated from the National Enquirer, which reported in 2009 that Robin was writing a tell-all memoir that would have been highly embarrassing and potentially damaging for Phil. "Their marriage has been on shaky ground for some time, and he thinks that if he demands she not write the book, she will dump him for good," an alleged source told the tabloid at the time. This individual went on to claim that Phil and Robin had what the Enquirer described as a "secret divorce pact," implying that they were ready to end their marriage at a moment's notice. The McGraws, who were frequently featured in the Enquirer, later sued the publication for defamation in 2016, and the "divorce pact" story was quietly removed at some point.

Though the National Enquirer's story from 2009 is possibly the most infamous example of divorce rumors regarding Phil and Robin McGraw being propelled by the media, it's hardly the only example. But fortunately the often-embattled talk show host and his wife, they have more than just lawyers at their disposal to combat that sort of thing. They also have (well, had) their own platform in the form of a widely-syndicated daytime program. And, in 2019, they used that platform in an effort to put the rumors to rest once and for all. "We've been married for 43 years," the eponymous former psychologist said during the "Dr. Phil" episode in question. "We've been together — happily together — for 47 years. I think she's decided she might as well keep me now," he continued. Robin herself concurred with her husband's quip, adding, "I sure have."

Furthermore, regardless of any marital problems they may or may not have gone through over the years, the so-called "divorce pact" would seemingly fly in the face of Phil and Robin's philosophy regarding their relationship. As the former explained in a January 2023 episode of "Dr. Phil" all about older couples divorcing, the McGraws view their marriage's existence as a non-negotiable. Because of this, Phil explained, they don't just refuse to entertain the idea of a divorce — they refuse to so much as speak the word. "We made a decision real early on that no matter what we're discussing, no matter what argument we may be having, no matter what disagreement we're talking about, the relationship is never the stakes for which we're playing," he said, concluding, "That's just off the table."