‘Love & Marriage: Huntsville’s’ Melody Holt Shares Why She Decided To File for Divorce From Martell

Melody Holt of Love & Marriage: Huntsville’s divorce filing did not come as a surprise to her fans. For two seasons, Melody has been open about her issues with Martell due to his affair with his long-term mistress. She says making the decision to end her marriage is because of Martell’s ongoing cheating, despite her making adjustments to try and make him happy.

Martell Holt’s complaints about Melody Holt

Viewers remember Martell’s explanation for why he began his long-term affair while still in his marriage. According to Martell, as Melody’s career began to take off, she paid less attention to him. 

“When I first started cheating…you weren’t doing what you were supposed to do,” Martell tells Melody during one discussion. When I called you, you didn’t have time to talk to me…’Babe, why you can’t talk to me?’ And you say, ‘I don’t have time.’ I had meetings [too]. It’s about having time for your spouse.”

Melody calls bluff on Martell’s excuse for cheating. She claims he insisted that she get more involved in their real estate business as a set up for him to cheat.

Aside from working too much, he claims that Melody was not pleasing him sexually or trying out new experiences in the bedroom, something that Melody says is not true. 

“I just know Mel stopped doing things…sexually,” he says. “You weren’t satisfying me, period. When we’re in the bed I say, ‘Babe, you ain’t gonna do this for me?’ You say no. That’s [a] disappointment…to tell your husband no for anything.”

Another complaint of Martell’s about Melody is that she did not praise him enough for his efforts as a father or husband. During one therapy session, a counselor informed Martell that it’s not Melody’s job to constantly validate him. Melody agreed.

Melody Holt says Martell continued his affair despite her working on their marriage

In a new interview with Reality Check, Melody admits that Martell’s affair made her question her value as a wife. She also says she blamed herself for a period of time.

“I went through that piece where I questioned what could I have done differently, or what’s wrong with me, or what should I do better,” she says.

Despite the hurt from Martell’s affair, Melody recommitted to making her marriage work. The two began couple’s counseling and Melody says that through that, she honed in on what Martell says led to his affair. 

Listening to his complaints, she says she corrected the behaviors Martell found faulty in her. Still, he continued his affair.

Here’s the piece that really changed it up for me. I got to a place where I listened to him, heard him out. And then I was able to check off every single complaint that he had. And once I’d done that, consistently, you [Martell] still continue to make a decision again to put your family back in this same situation. Right then [I knew] it ain’t me. There’s nothing else you can say. I’ve literally checked off every complaint you had that you said was whatever.

Melody Holt, Reality Check

Learning of Martell’s ongoing affair in spite of the two seemingly working things out is what Melody says was her defining moment in filing for divorce.

Love & Marriage: Huntsville airs every Saturday at 8 p.m. EST on OWN