Teddi Mellencamp is 'taking it slow' with older man amid cancer battle

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAYSat, April 11, 2026 at 2:48 AM UTC

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Teddi Mellencamp is ready to start spilling some dating tea.

In an April 8 episode of her "Two Ts in a Pod," the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum, 44, shared that she is seeing a man who is "older than I am," adding that she has gone on 10 dates with him. Keeping his real name a secret, Mellencamp said: "We're going to call him Derek."

The reality TV star vented about the obstacles that come with dating a father.

"That's the thing when you're dating and you're both parents," she told co-host Tamra Judge. "Like, how are you ever supposed to get past first base? I have kids in my house. He has kids in his house."

Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave speaks onstage at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles.

Mellencamp said her relationship with "Derek" is a change of pace from her prior relationships, quipping, "These are the things that I haven't brought up on these dates," she added. "I'm taking it slow with him. Normally, that hasn't been my past."

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She previously dated TV producer Ricci Rea following a 13-year marriage with Edwin Arroyave, which ended in 2024 when Mellencamp filed for divorce. Mellencamp and Arroyave share three children, including daughters Slate, 12, and Dove, 6, and son Cruz, 11.

1 / 0Teddi Mellencamp steps out amid cancer battle. See her life through the years

Teddi Mellencamp has stage 4 melanoma, but that isn't stopping the podcast host, wellness accountability coach and former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star from speaking out and stepping out. Here's Mellencamp through the years.

Teddi Mellencamp continues to battle stage 4 melanoma

Her reveal comes as she continues a yearslong battle with cancer. The former "RHOBH" star went public with her Stage 4 melanoma diagnosis in 2022 and by 2025, she said the cancer had metastasized to her lungs and brain. In May, she told USA TODAY she was "feeling positive, but I also would say that my mood and my overall energy level shifts by the hour."

In October, Teddi Mellencamp said on Instagram that there was "no detectable cancer" in her body, but she would remain "on immunotherapy for another year" and is "not considered in remission or anything like that."

At the iHeartRadio Music Awards red carpet on March 26, Teddi confirmed to Variety that she still has Stage 4 melanoma but said her treatment is going well. She attended the award show to present her father, John Mellencamp, 74, with the Icon Award, where she thanked for taking care of her throughout her cancer journey.

"He stepped up, took control, fought for me and pretty much changed my life, saved my life," she said on stage. "A man I get to call dad, and my best friend," she said of the "Jack & Diane" singer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teddi Mellencamp is 'taking it slow' with older man amid cancer battle

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