Inside Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom's marriage breakdown from whirlwind wedding to cheating rumours
Fans of reality TV are on tenterhooks for the sixth season of The Kardashians, especially after the trailer hinted at some significant life changes for the famous family. After catching a glimpse of Khloe's ex-husband in the trailer, there's speculation that she might have rekindled her romance with basketball star Lamar Odom.
Despite their seemingly friendly relationship these days, Khloe and Lamar's marriage was a rollercoaster ride, marked by cheating scandals and fertility issues. Here's a timeline of their marriage, from their first meeting to their eventual split.
How did Khloe and Lamar meet and when did they marry?
Khloe and Lamar's paths first crossed in 2009 at a party thrown by fellow NBA star Metta Sandiford-Artest. They left fans shocked by getting hitched just one month after their first meeting. People magazine reported that they tied the knot at a "private residence in Beverly Hills", with then 25-year-old Khloe choosing a Vera Wang bridal gown for the occasion.
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Mobile phones were banned from the intimate ceremony, which was followed by a nightclub-themed reception featuring a performance by Babyface. After the wedding, Khloe adopted the name Khloe Kardashian Odom.
What happened during their relationship?
Like most Kardashian marriages, the highs and lows of Khloe and Lamar's relationship were extensively reported on. They even had their own reality spin-off, Khloe & Lamar, which premiered in 2011 and lasted for two seasons.
It was reported that Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom were trying for a baby, with Khloe openly discussing their fertility struggles. However, it later came to light that she had secretly stopped fertility treatments due to the tumultuous nature of their relationship and "fake tried" for a baby for a while.
Kim Kardashian explained the situation on X, formerly known as Twitter, commenting: "Khloe did start fertility [treatments] and she wanted to have a baby, but I believe in the middle of the process she realized timing wasn't good based on what was going on with her relationship."
The pair's troubles didn't end there; they also endured cheating accusations and rumours about Lamar's infidelity. On an episode of 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' from 2014, Khloe confided in Kourtney about Lamar's betrayal, exclaiming: "Let me tell you something! Last year on my birthday, I lied to everyone, because I had to lie and say I was with my husband, when in fact, my husband was missing with another girl! Okay?!"
Lamar later revealed that he had "full-blown relationships" with other women during his marriage. Despite being married to Khloe for six years, he reportedly had a year-long affair with an exotic dancer. Speaking about his marriage, he admitted: "I didn't treat that good woman right."
An incident involving Lamar at The Love Ranch, a legal brothel in Carson City, Nevada hit headlines around the world in 2015. Lamar took a life-threatening overdose of cocaine and other drugs, resulting in kidney failure, a heart attack, multiple strokes, and several days in a coma. Following his release from the hospital, Lamar entered rehab and has maintained his sobriety ever since.
What made Khloe divorce Lamar?
In a heartfelt chat on her podcast Khloe in Wonderland which aired January 29, Khloe Kardashian opened up about the defining moment she realised her marriage was over. Chatting with motivational guru Mel Robbins, Khloe revealed: "I remember, I was married and my ex-husband had a drug addiction, and I knew that his addiction always heightened - he was in the NBA - and his addiction always heightened when he was in the off-season, cause idle time is the devil's playground."
Lamar had been invited to join Team USA for the Olympics and Khloe reminisced: "I was begging, 'Please, please go to Team USA' and I was pushing, and I remember he just looked at me and said, 'You can't want it more than I do. I remember when he said, 'You can't want it more than me' and 'I don't want it' - it was so profound." She added: "But he just wasn't in that place."
The reality star reflected: "That was a very pivotal moment in my life because I remember that statement being like..."Yeah, you're right. I can't want your life more than you."
Khloe initially filed for divorce on December 13, 2013, but later put the process on hold following Lamar's ill-health after the Nevada incident. The divorce between Khloe and Lamar was eventually finalised in December 2016.
Season six of 'The Kardashians' drops on Disney+ starting Thursday, February 6, with new episodes every Thursday until April 10.
