Denise Richards has claimed Aaron Phypers' alleged abuse was a "slow burn".

The Starship Troopers actress split from her husband last July after six years of marriage amid allegations of abusive behaviour and the 55-year-old star has now spoken of the moment she knew there was "no hope" left for their relationship.

Making a return to the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on Thursday's (19.02.26) episode, Denise was asked about pictures of her black eye that were included when she requested a restraining order against Aaron - who has denied all the allegations of physical abuse - in July.

Erika Jayne said: "I wanted to talk to you about the black eye I saw. I'm going to say this, 'That can't be a onetime thing.'"

Denise replied: "No, that's the truth.

"It started a while ago. It was a slow burn though. My dad asked me, he said, 'Why didn't you tell me?' I said, 'I can't share this and stay with a person.'"

Denise recalled how she had had a seven-and-a-half hour operation and then Aaron had helped her to the toilet because she "couldn't even walk" alone.

But while sitting on the toilet, the World is Not Enough star alleged Aaron tried to get hold of her phone and "hit" her on the side of her head, then she started "crying" when her drain hit the toilet paper holder.

She said: "That's when I really knew there's no hope at ever salvaging this marriage at all. I just wanted to get through my surgeries, and I almost rescheduled my second one, and I said, 'I cannot go through what I went through.' Here I am."

Denise was then asked what had happened on 4 July, the date Aaron had listed as when they had separated in his divorce filing.

She said: "That weekend was awful. It was f****** awful."

The actress - who has daughters Sami, 21, and 20-year-old Lola with ex-husband Charlie Sheen, and 14-year-old Eloise, who she adopted as a baby - claimed she was hit twice after her surgery.

She concluded: "[That is] why I filed a restraining order, and why we're getting divorced."

Denise thanked Erika for her support, and noted she and her ex-husband Charlie Sheen had been the first people to get in touch with her when the news broke.

Erika then opened up about her own similar experience with an unnamed partner.

She said: "When I saw all of this go down, I wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you, and I only want what's best for you.

"It's a lonely, isolating feeling. Just so you know, I went through this too -- not with any of my husbands, but recently. It's okay, no one knows. You know now. It's all water under the bridge, but it's hard when you're in it."

Erika noted the abuse had happened "not too long ago" and she eventually ended the romance.

She said: "It had happened more than once. The third time I was like this is not for me. I'm going to say one thing and leave it right here: You have no idea how shameful it is to be the mother of a police officer and have to pick up the phone and call 911 and then call your family member and say, 'I think you should hear this from me first before you hear it from anyone else.'"

In a confessional, Erika explained she had "met someone, and it started out fun."

She continued: "There were no expectations of happily ever after or this is my person or any of that bulls***.

"It was several months after I met this person that it turned into chaos."

The 55-year-old star was "incredibly calm" after the first incident.

She added: "I put on my best hostage negotiator voice and this person was f****** mad. I was afraid, but I was so numb inside that I almost felt nothing."