‘RHOC’ star Heather Dubrow reveals how she and husband Terry Dubrow escaped the reality TV curse

Heather Dubrow may be married to a plastic surgeon, but for this “Housewife,” her marriage is the real deal.

The 53-year-old and her husband Terry Dubrow of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” and “Botched” fame want to help couples at risk of falling apart. The pair have teamed up to launch a new E! series titled “7 Year Stitch” where they give a duo a seven-week crash course on personal improvement to see if they’re truly meant to be or is it time to cut ties.

The Dubrows celebrate 25 years together this year, but their road to a happy marriage hasn’t always been easy – especially while being in the spotlight.

Both Heather and Terry, 63, spoke to Fox News Digital about launching their passion project now, how they got over a “bad year” and how they escaped the reality TV curse.

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Fox News: What compelled you to launch a show like “7 Year Stitch” now?
Heather Dubrow: We feel that our calling at this stage of our lives is to try to help people with the platforms we have… Our desire is to help stitch couples back together. So what we’ve done is taken couples at that precarious seven-year mark, when the honeymoon’s over and real life has set in. They’re now looking at each other like, “Oh my God, what am I doing with you? How did we get here?”

We’re separating them for seven weeks doing a full internal, external makeover. Mind, body and soul to make each of them separately their most confident, best versions of themselves that they can be with the hopes of stitching them back together. But there’s also a big reveal at the end because, sometimes when someone’s feeling themselves and they’re feeling at their most confident, then that could mean they’re also ready to move on. So in the end, they have to decide whether to stay together or move on separately.

Terry Dubrow and Heather Dubrow on “Real Housewives of Orange County.”
(Vivian Zink/Bravo)

Fox News: Terry, what’s it been like working with your wife on a show like this one?
Terry Dubrow: Heather and I have had many projects together over the last several years… Heather and I are better together than apart, I would say. So this is the perfect way to bring all of our skills, experiences and resources together for these couples that could use our help.

You know, the reason why it’s called “7 Year Stitch” is that over 50% of couples that are going to break up do so around the seven-year period. So we separate some of these couples for seven weeks so they can hopefully form new habits. And it takes about four weeks to form new habits… And then it takes another three weeks to cement in those habits. So it’s really a seven-year stitch. Hopefully, at the end of the show, they’ll get back together. Or, if they break up, they’ll be at least better versions of themselves.

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Fox News: Couples from reality TV shows aren’t known for having the longest marriages. What’s your secret? How did you two escape the so-called reality TV curse?
Heather Dubrow: I think for most people that appear on reality TV and then don’t make it, those issues were already there. Reality shows just polarize what’s already going on in those relationships. I think for us, we had a very solid foundation coming in. But we did have one year when things weren’t great and [being on reality TV] weighed on us. We were fighting a lot. It was a bad year, and we did have to sit down and discuss it. And when you’re together for a long time, you will have good days, bad days, good years, bad years.

The Dubrows explained how they managed to escape the reality TV curse that has affected many other marriages.
(Vivian Zink/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

So we did have a bad year. And I remember very distinctly saying to Terry, “This isn’t good for our marriage. We have a choice. We can figure out how to do the show and not have our marriage, or we’re out.” He agreed and we just worked on it. We made sure we had more time together, that we were more respectful of each other and that we were communicating. But we couldn’t have done the show without working on us first. So when we did, we already had a really nice foundation.

Fox News: Terry, what advice would you give to someone who feels that going under the knife will instantly solve any problems in their relationship?
Terry Dubrow: We want people to understand that we’re not using plastic surgery to fix a couple’s problems. Intimacy is a very common, final pathway of problems in relationships. Once you start having bigger problems, it can lead to intimacy issues…. If you’re considering plastic surgery, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.

I can’t tell you how many couples come to me for plastic surgery, and they’re bickering and arguing. I think to myself, “Oh my gosh, as soon as I do this operation, they’re going to break up.” And many times, they do. So I talk to my patients about that when they come in as couples. I will say, “Hey, is there something going on in your relationship? Are you trying to fix your relationship? Because plastic surgery won’t do that. If you have insecurities about your body, plastic surgery can be really helpful. But you have to make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons.”

Terry Dubrow and Heather Dubrow attend Build Brunch to discuss their new book “The Dubrow Diet” at Build Studio on Jan. 21, 2019, in New York City.
(Manny Carabel/WireImage)

Fox News: Heather, how do you and Terry handle disagreements at this point in your marriage?
Heather Dubrow: I don’t want to jinx anything *laughs* because as soon as you say everything’s great, it all goes to hell. But we don’t argue very much… But there was a time when we were just arguing, just all over each other. It was tough. We decided at that moment to just go our separate ways for a couple of hours. And then when we came back, we looked at each other and just went, “You good?” I think sometimes people fight for the sake of fighting, or they want to be right. And it’s just not worth it. So we don’t create things if nothing is going on.

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Fox News: Terry, it must be easier facing patients versus “Housewives.” How do you think Heather has handled all the public scrutiny and drama that comes with being part of a franchise like “Real Housewives”?
Terry Dubrow: I’ll be honest, it’s very difficult now to be on a “Housewives” show, and it was difficult the first time we were on it through all those seasons. But there’s a different level of surveillance by social media. People are a lot meaner now. I think Heather has been able to navigate the way she feels about some opinions people have on social media.

It’s a different world. And it’s still hurtful when people say negative things. But you become a little more immune to the trolls and haters. I think she’s done a very good job. She checks herself pretty well. I think if there was this level of hate back when we first did it, what exists now on Twitter and other social media platforms, I don’t know if she could have continued. She’s a very sensitive person. But she’s gotten a lot tougher.

The Dubrows said they were excited to launch their passion project on E! titled “7 Year Stitch.”
(Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Heather Dubrow: Terry’s right. If this level of hate on social media existed when we started, I’m not sure if I would’ve survived. Now, it doesn’t affect me as much. Maybe it’s because I’m a little older and, hopefully, a little wiser. I don’t look at social media as much.

I’ve realized that with all the nonsense of the show and even with outside influence, I get to go home at the end of the day. And I mean my world. I get to go home to a really amazing partner who loves and respects me, and to four kids that I’m really proud of. I’m not saying we’re perfect. Far from it. But it’s a very satisfying life. So if someone has to troll me, they also have to go home to their situation, too.

“7 Year Stitch” premieres March 1, at 10 p.m. on E!.