It seems a bit weird to hear Kaley Cuoco talk about her past relationship and first divorce around the same time as she talks about love at first sight and happy baby news with her current partner. But I guess she didn’t choose the timing of the oral history of the Big Bang Theory and she was on that show for so long it makes sense that many of her major life events happened there. Apparently, the set was a welcome escape for her during the announcement and process of her first divorce, and her costars were very helpful and protective during that difficult time.

Kaley Cuoco is looking back on the day she announced her divorce from Ryan Sweeting.

In Jessica Radloff’s new oral history book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series, the actress, 36, opened up about how the set of the CBS sitcom was “a really wonderful escape” amid her personal turmoil.

On the day her divorce was made public in September 2015, Cuoco recalled Entertainment Tonight visiting the set and watching her film a scene with costars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kunal Nayyar and Simon Helberg for an episode in the show’s nine season, titled “The 2003 Approximation.”

“I was in a scene in the comic book store, wearing a purple sweater, and sitting on the couch between Jim and Johnny, while Simon and Kunal were singing this ridiculous song in their little band. And I am hysterically laughing. Genuinely. And they used it,” she shared. “And that was the scene we were shooting when ET was watching us, and I remember sitting there, thinking, ‘My divorce is about to be announced right now.'”

The Flight Attendant star added the performance provided her with a much-needed relief from her personal life.

“Simon and Kunal had me laughing so hard that tears were coming down my face as they were performing this song, and I just got to sit there and watch them as Penny, but it was also me,” she explained. “And it just took me totally out of what was going on in my personal life. And everyone [in the cast] knew what was going on with me and they were very protective.”

She continued, “I just remember the drama going on behind the scenes, but shooting that scene was a really wonderful escape.”

Cuoco and Sweeting got engaged in September 2013 after three months of dating. The couple tied the knot in December of that year. The former couple then announced that they were splitting up just 21 months later.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE at the time, Cuoco filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

Cuoco — who is now expecting a baby girl with boyfriend Tom Pelphrey — told Cosmopolitan in 2018 that Sweeting “completely changed” throughout the course of their relationship and she didn’t know whether she’d ever feel ready to walk down the aisle with somebody else again.

“I honestly thought I wouldn’t get married again. My ex ruined that word for me,” Cuoco said at the time. “I married someone the first time who completely changed. The person I ended up with was not the person I originally met. And that wasn’t my fault — that was his.”

[From People]

It’s nice that the set and her costars provided such an escape for Kaley while she was having drama in her personal life. I didn’t like that show and tried to avoid watching it, but I understand it was a sitcom and other people thought it was funny, so it’s nice that she was able to laugh and have a good time. Kaley had said that her first divorce from Ryan Sweeting was his fault and he’d completely changed from when they met — however they met and got married so quickly, like of course he changed. It doesn’t seem like Kaley has learned to go any slower since. Her second marriage was a pretty quick timeline too and her new boyfriend and now baby have been even faster. I like Kaley a lot and hope this latest relationship sticks, but no matter what happens to the couple they’ll have a baby girl, so that’s a good thing no matter what.

photos via Instagram and credit: Avalon.red and FameFlynet