NEWSThe Price Is Right's Bob Barker Had Suicidal Thoughts and Turned Into a 'Narcissistic Egomaniac' After His Wife's Sudden Death
In a new docuseries, 'The Price Is Right' alums talked about how Bob Barker completely changed after his wife's death.
March 18 2026, Published 10:54 a.m. ET
Legendary game show host Bob Barker "went into a funk" after his wife Dorothy Jo passed away from lung cancer just two months after receiving her diagnosis.
In E!'s Dirty Rotten Scandals, The Price Is Right producer Barbara Hunt revealed Jo's death in 1981 took a serious toll on Barker's mental health.
"He was ready to take his own life," she revealed in the doc. "That's what he shared with me."
'He Became Mr. Man About Town'
Bob Barker turned into a 'narcissistic egomaniac' on 'The Price Is Right' after his wife's death.
Former The Price Is Right model Holly Hallstrom explained that Barker — who died from Alzheimer's at age 99 in 2023 — was "devastated by her death" and went through "a long period of mourning. And then, all of a sudden, he became Mr. Man About Town, you know?"
"He knew he was the star of the biggest show in daytime, and Dorothy Jo wasn't there anymore, keeping him reined in," Hallstrom said. "It was like he was unleashed and turned into this narcissistic egomaniac."
Bob Barker Fired Holly Hallstrom
Holly Hallstrom admitted it was 'cathartic' but 'exhausting' to talk about the past.
Barker hosted the iconic game show from 1972 until 2007.
Hallstrom, 73, was anything but a fan of Barker, who cut her from the show allegedly due to her gaining weight. However, years ago, she claimed the real reason she was let go was due to her support for coworker Dian Parkinson, 81, who sued Barker for sexual harassment.
The two battled it out for years, with Barker filing a countersuit, and in 2005, she received a multimillion-dollar settlement after filing a suit over discrimination, wrongful termination and malicious prosecution.
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'The Price Is Right' model Holly Hallstrom exposed the show's dark side.
Holly Hallstrom won a lawsuit against Bob Barker for wrongful termination.
In a new interview with TV Insider, Hallstrom revealed why she decided to appear in Dirty Rotten Scandals.
"It has been 30 years, and they approached me initially as they were doing a documentary on the 'Me Too' movement where Price fit into that. This interested me," she shared. "Plus, I had to wait until I was sure [Barker] was surely dead."
Holly Hallstrom 'Knew' She 'Had the Truth'
Bob Barker hosted 'The Price Is Right' from 1972 to 2007.
"It has been cathartic to finally speak about it, but also dredged up the memories from the worst time in my life," the model admitted. "That has been really difficult. It has been emotionally exhausting."
When asked what her kept her in pursuit of seeking justice, she replied, "It was pure stubbornness because I knew I had the truth. That I could win. That I could beat him with the truth, and I did. I beat him good."
