Kendra Wilkinson Baskett and Hank's Marriage 'Was Never the Fairytale She Wanted,' Says Source
Kendra Wilkinson Baskett’s marriage to Hank Baskett has never been the kind of relationship she envisioned for herself.
“The marriage was never a walk in the park. They had a lot of issues, whether it was his lack of longevity in his career to his Super Bowl fiasco to her postpartum depression to his infidelity to money and career problems. … It just never was the fairytale she wanted,” a source close to the Kendra on Top star — who was in tears on Monday as she spoke about the pair’s marital difficulties on social media — tells PEOPLE.
Kendra, 32, and Hank, 35, wed in 2009 and share son Hank IV, 8, and daughter Alijah, 3. Their marriage was rocked by scandal in 2014 when Hank allegedly had an affair with a transgender model while Kendra was eight months pregnant.
A source recently told PEOPLE Hank has moved out of the couple’s home as he and Kendra prepare to file for separation.
Speaking about the difficulties the pair faced over the years, the source tells PEOPLE, “They fought a lot … but the cheating rocked her because if anything what she thought she had was her sexuality and Hank’s devotion.”
Ultimately, the couple’s biggest problem ended up being that “they never grew to the next level.”
“He just ended up being such a dud and it frustrated her. They never grew to the next level. It was always her driving the career and fame and money. It stopped working around 2014 and they held on but that’s when it went downhill,” the source adds.
Want to keep up on the latest from PEOPLE? Sign up for our daily newsletter to get our best stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox.
One week after multiple sources told PEOPLE that the spouses of nearly nine years will be separating, the former Playboy model cried as she revealed she “did everything I could” to make things work in a series of emotional videos posted on her Instagram Story.
“Ten years,” she tearfully said on Monday. “I did everything I could. It wasn’t good enough. I will always love him and my heart will always remain open for him. I believed in forever, I really did. Guess it’s just not meant to be. I’m so scared, but I have to get strong for my kids — I will.”
She also tweeted a somber message to her followers.
“Today will be the saddest, scariest day of my life,” she wrote. “Today I will have to be the strongest I’ve ever been. Today, my rebirth begins.”
Today will be the saddest, scariest day of my life. Today i will have to be the strongest I’ve ever been. Today, my rebirth begins.
— Kendra Wilkinson (@KendraWilkinson) April 2, 2018
A source previously told PEOPLE that “both Kendra and Hank fought really hard for their marriage and never thought it would come down to this.”
“They really worked through a lot, but just couldn’t get on the same page. They’re both devastated,” the source continued.
The former NFL player “is the ultimate family man and is not the type to get married just to get divorced,” the source remarked, adding that “they want to do what’s best for their kids.”
