The Real Reason Scott Disick And Kourtney Kardashian's Relationship Ended
Kourtney Kardashian may have found martial bliss with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, but we just can't let go of the nearly 10-year relationship she had with the father of her first three children, Scott Disick. Viewers were introduced to the couple on the very first episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" in 2007, and over time, viewers got to see the pair go through good times and plenty of bad times, too. Ultimately, Kourtney and Scott ended their relationship for good in 2015.
There were speculations about why these two fell apart. On "KUWTK" and its spinoffs, fans saw the former couple navigate Scott's infidelities, his excessive drinking, and his partying lifestyle, which was a cause for concern for Kourtney and contributed to their downfall. However, they have maintained a successful co-parenting relationship for their kids, Mason, Penelope, and Reign. Scott told Kourtney on her lifestyle website, Poosh, "And it's not like the easiest thing for us, but the fact that we've tried and we made it work makes life that much better."
Although these two couldn't make things work romantically and have moved on, fans still want to know what really caused Scott and Kourtney to throw in the towel on their relationship. Let's take a deep dive into the real reason why these stars broke up.
The family questioned Disick's fidelity at the start of their romance
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick met while hanging out with friends at Joe Francis' home in Mexico in 2006. A year later, the E! network premiered "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." Kourtney, who was 28 when the show aired, introduced viewers to her 24-year-old boyfriend, Scott. However, Kourtney's mother, Kris Jenner, was on the fence about Disick and his commitment to her daughter.
In the premiere episode, Jenner stated, "I have serious doubts about Scott because I found out he's cheating on Kourtney, and as her mom, I want to tell her, but I don't know how." In reply to Jenner's question about whether he was ready to settle down with Kourtney despite his age, he declared, "I love her to death." Still, the momager continued to have her doubts, especially about his fidelity. "I want the best for Kourtney. The person that comes into our family has to be someone who has a great character. We've seen a lot of guys come and go," Jenner shared in a confessional.
Looking back, was Jenner right all along? Moms do know best, don't they? Of course, Jenner's thoughts on Disick have entirely changed, as she has regarded the father of three as a son to her.
They never took their relationship to the next level
Before Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's lavish Italian wedding in May 2022, the couple had an unofficial "practice" ceremony in Las Vegas in April. However, it wasn't the first time the reality star had gone to Vegas to get married.
In a Season 1 episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," Kourtney and Scott Disick surprised family members while vacationing in Las Vegas with the news that they had plans to wed. They went as far as arriving at the Little White Chapel, where Kourt tried on a wedding gown and Disick a white suit as they prepared to say their "I dos." However, Kris Jenner managed to talk her daughter out of getting married. "This feels really rushed," Kourtney stated, agreeing with her mother. "This feels so rushed and just not right. I never really thought about what my wedding would be, but this is certainly not it."
It wouldn't be the only time Disick planned to wed Kourtney. In 2011, his proposal was shot down while the two celebrated their anniversary. In an episode of "Kourtney and Kim Take New York," Kourtney admitted she was content with their lives. "I just feel like right now I'm pretty happy with the way things are," she shared over dinner (via People). In 2017, Disick revealed on an episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," that he had proposed to Kourtney for a third time with a Lorraine Schwartz ring, but the couple never went through with a wedding.
Disick wasn't a loyal boyfriend
From the beginning of Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick's relationship, loyalty and faithfulness were constantly questioned. The former couple experienced their first break up in 2008 when Kourtney and her sisters, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, discovered someone named "my wife" in Disick's phone. As reported by People, the moment was shared on Season 2 of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." Kourtney confronted Disick about his cheating ways, telling him, "Unless you can be honest, I have no reason to talk to you again."
Although Kourtney and Scott would get back together, in several earlier episodes of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," Kourtney continued to deal with Disick's inappropriate actions, including when she discovered suspicious texts on his phone. In an episode of the show, Kourtney expressed doubts about his fidelity when he traveled to New York to spend time partying with his friends. During a call to Disick, Kourtney heard a woman in his home. Disick didn't admit to cheating on her but did claim the woman slept in his bed after a night of drinking.
His excessive drinking was a big issue
In December 2009, Kourtney and Scott welcomed their first child, a son named Mason, but they briefly split in August 2010 because of Disick's excessive drinking. In an episode of "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami," things weren't looking good for the couple. Kourtney, holding Mason, and sister Kim Kardashian arrived at Disick's Miami apartment, where Kourtney called him out for his out-of-control drinking. After they left, he punched a mirror and bled all over the floor. A crying Kourtney later broke up with Disick during a phone call, stating, "I can't do this anymore. I love Mason more than I love you, and that's what it is."
That same month, Disick admitted to having an alcohol addiction. He and Kourtney attended a therapy session on "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami," where he stated, "[Kourtney] doesn't really always 100 percent understand that it's a real disease that I have, and it's not just something that I can turn off and on," he shared (via Us Weekly). Despite Disick's setbacks, Kourtney continued a relationship with him. In July 2012, they welcomed their daughter Penelope.
Disick couldn't commit to rehab
Scott Disick's addiction to alcohol was getting out of hand when, in June 2014, he was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning. In a November 2014 episode of "Kourtney and Khloe Take the Hamptons," Kourtney expressed her disappointment in Disick when he left a Connecticut rehabilitation center after five days. The pair were not sure of the status of their relationship, with Disick sharing that his drinking and taking pills had him spiraling out of control. On top of that, both of his parents died just a few months apart, and Disick admitted that he did not properly mourn their deaths. "I don't want to live the way I was living," Disick shared. "It became a 24-hour job to try and stay trying to get drunk and stay trying to take pills and not think about life." That December, Disick and Kourtney Kardashian welcomed a second son named Reign.
In March 2015, Disick checked into rehab in Costa Rica to deal with his addictions and stayed for one week. According to ET, at the rehabilitation center, the reality star was receiving iboga treatment, which uses an African plant to treat addiction. A source for People alleged, "Kourtney is so tired. She has heard the same excuses again and again." However, she told the outlet she was staying by his side. "When he's working on himself, it only betters our relationship," she said.
His infidelity was the last straw
Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick's relationship ended in July 2015. That month, photos obtained by Daily Mail showed Disick getting cozy with stylist Chloe Bartoli in the South of France. The breakup was later featured in an October episode of Season 10 of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" with Kourtney crying to her sister Kim about the devastating split. "He's not being a good partner to me. I could never rely on him, depend on him for one single thing, and I don't want to show my kids that that's okay," she shared (via People).
Disick apologized to Kourtney and the rest of the family for his actions in an episode of "KUWTK," stating, "I f***** up. I made the worst decision I could have ever made in my life." Still, an apology wasn't enough for Kourtney to take him back.
In October 2015, Disick checked himself into rehab again in Malibu, California, for addiction, where he stayed for one month.
Kourtney admitted his addiction to alcohol was the be-all and end-all
Several factors led to Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick's breakup, including his partying lifestyle, cheating ways, and alcohol addiction. In the "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" reunion in 2021, Kourtney revealed what ultimately led to the demise of their nine-year relationship.
"The infidelity, I only knew about it at the end, so I think the substance abuse was the deal-breaker," she told host Andy Cohen. When asked about his drinking, Disick said, "I don't want to make any excuses for my behavior. I definitely wouldn't have done these things sober, but it was all wrong. I just thought it was normal, to be honest." Earlier, Cohen had asked both exes if they believed they would be together if Disick had maintained his sobriety. Disick replied with a yes, while Kourtney surprisingly also replied that she would be with him if he worked through his addictions.
Over the years, rumors have swirled that he and Kourtney might give their relationship another go. However, although the couple is no more, they have remained on friendly terms for the sake of their children.
They are pros at co-parenting
In a 2019 interview with Us Weekly, Scott Disick was thrilled with how smooth his co-parenting relationship with Kourtney Kardashian was going. "The truth is, my problems shouldn't affect the kids. Just because their mother and I couldn't make it as a perfect, romantic couple shouldn't have anything to do with the kids. They don't deserve our mistakes, so we figured out a way. We still need to be as honest and as good to each other as if we were together. Let's raise these children together, and that's it," he shared.
However, the former couple faced some setbacks, especially when entering new relationships. "The hardest part was when we both started new relationships ... because that caused fights between you and I. About introducing the kids ...We had to literally go to therapy to talk ... to be able to communicate together," Kourtney revealed when speaking to Disick for her lifestyle website, Poosh.
With the former couple sharing three children, they feel that they will always be around one another in some way. In a 2019 episode of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," after both Scott and Kourtney met with a healer in Bali, Kourtney said, "Scott and I, we're going to be in each others' lives forever. Like, we are soulmates in a sense. No matter what. Whether we're ever together again or not."
Scott is still a part of the family
Scott Disick has remained distant since Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker made their relationship official in 2021. In a 2022 episode of "The Kardashians," the reality star admitted losing a "best friend." "It was a huge adjustment losing Kourtney romantically, but now it's becoming a huge adjustment losing her as a best friend. Now we're really just more co-parents. I'd say it's probably one of the more difficult things in my life," he shared.
Although the exes don't seem close nowadays, Kris Jenner came to his defense when a report by Page Six suggested in May 2022 that Disick was "excommunicated" from the famous family. The report was later shared on Paper magazine's Instagram page, to which Jenner replied (via People), "Scott will NEVER be excommunicated from our family. He's the father of my grandchildren and a special part of our family."
On Instagram, Disick appears to be keeping his mind focused on his three children. In January 2024, he shared a video of his son Reign on a motocross bike, while another video showed his daughter Penelope having a sleepover with her friends.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).