Featured Image Credit: Christopher Polk/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty Images
Topics: Celebrity, Sex and Relationships, Valentines Day, US News
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Celebrity, Sex and Relationships, Valentines Day, US News
In a pretty unfavourable admission, Dax Shepard has confessed to planning a 'less than exciting' Valentine's surprise for wife, Kristen Bell.
During Monday's (23 Feb) episode of his Armchair Expert podcast, the actor claimed outright that he 'definitely rejected' his other-half on February 14th, instead, turning his attention to two other people.
For those in need of a reminder, Shepard, 51, and 45-year-old Bell have been married since exchanging vows at the Beverly Hills County Clerk's Office back in 2013, having met at a mutual friend's birthday dinner in the years prior.
In their 13 years as husband and wife, the Detroit-born pair have also become parents to their daughters, Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 11.
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Interestingly, it was the pre-teen twosome that Shepard confessed to prioritising on Valentine's Day over his Frozen actress wife.
His controversial admission was made during the 'Fact Check' segment of his popular podcast, where he explained: "My girls are my Valentines - all my resources went to the little ones."
The Parenthood star added of Bell: "All I'll say is that someone had a less-than-exciting Valentine's Day versus their anticipation."
It wasn't just the Nobody Wants This actress that Shepard confessed to casting aside earlier this month, but his mother, Laura Labo, who, despite being in town for Valentine's weekend, wasn't invited along to the festivities her son had planned for his own children.
"She's been my Valentine for 51 years, so it really becomes a bandwidth," he added of Labo. "All my resources went to the little ones, and I definitely neglected my mom and Kristen."
Thankfully for Shepard, however, both his wife and mother were more than understanding of the matter.
"They saw that I was spending a lot of my energy on my other two Valentines," he continued.
When it came to revealing the big gesture he'd spent 'several hours' planning for Lincoln and Delta, the father-of-two recalled: "I know that my daughter loves floaties for the pool, so I got heart-shaped floaties and inflated them and put them in the pool."
He also claimed to have 'made each of them handmade cards where [he] really drew pictures and then wrote how [he feels] about them'.
Unsurprisingly, however, Shepard's admission has been met with some backlash, with a handful of critics suggesting he include his wife even further in next year's celebrations.
"It’s ok to show your daughters love on Valentine’s Day and set the bar for their future loves, but setting that bar includes showing them how you love and appreciate mom," one wrote on Facebook.
"Bc if not they will think it’s ok as a mom when dad doesn’t pay you attention, that it’s normal."
Another added: "Oh hon don’t forget your awesome wife… she should be your first Valentine!! (Forget your mom is fine)."
"It’s not that hard to also show appreciation to your wife," a third went on. "Which should be your main concern on Valentine’s Day."