Lisa Whelchel And Steve Cauble Divorce, Survivor Star Splits With Husband Of 24 Years

Multiple news outlets are reporting that Whelchel recently revealed that she and Cauble quietly divorced back in march.

"The divorce was final on March 1, and [I] went out to be on 'Survivor' on March 10," Whelchel tells People magazine. "Going out to Survivor was helpful for me, to divert my attention and not just dwell on the loss."

"I just never thought it would happen to me," she added. "It was painful to realize that it wasn't going to work out.”

E! News recently confirmed the divorce, but added that she and her 61-year-old ex-husband remain good friends.

Whelchel and Cauble first met at at a prayer group in 1986. The two, who are devout Christians, have worked together in Christian ministry since "The Facts of Life" ended in 1988.

According to a report by Yahoo! TV, Whelchel is a Christian author and speaker, and she has publicly spoken about both her faith and her marriage.

In her memoir, "The Facts of Life," the actress discussed falling in love with Cauble and how the unexpected relationship developed over time.

Before revealing her divorce to Cauble, Whelchel discussed her experiences on "Survivor" on her personal website.

Responding to the question of whether it was "fun" being a contestant on the show, Whelchel said "I don’t think 'fun' is the word I would use to describe my experience. Those days on the island were the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. It pushed me to my extreme limits physically, mentally, spiritually, and especially, emotionally. I’m so very grateful for the opportunity and I’m so glad I did it but I think it’s like childbirth … I may need to put a few years behind me and some perspective in front of me before I would ever consider doing it again."

Best known for her role as wealthy Blair Warner on the 80s sitcom "The Facts of Life," “Survivor” is Whelchel’s first foray back into the limelight. She can be seen on the 26th season of CBS' hit show competing against fellow castaways in the Philippines.