TV star leaves fiance reeling as she abruptly ends another relationship

FORGET Julia Roberts' character in "Runaway Bride" — Courtney Thorne-Smith is the real thing!
     In a move that's a replay of her last breakup, the star of "According to Jim" pulled the plug on her June wedding with fiance Dr. Robert Andrews without warning, kicked him out of her Brentwood house and changed the locks.
     The former star of "Ally McBeal" did much the same thing to ex-husband Andrew Conrad in 2001, when she abruptly ended their seven-month marriage — the very same week she was the cover girl for a magazine's wedding issue!
     "Courtney hates the C-word — commitment," said a friend. "And she likes to be the one in charge. She and Robert had been arguing, so she abruptly decided the engagement was off even though she was in the middle of planning her second wedding."
     "Robert is a successful doctor with a thriving medical practice, and he's a take-charge type of guy. But Courtney doesn't want a man to tell her what to do."
     The pair had seemed very much in love since Courtney, 36, was introduced to the M.D. by friends at the Presbyterian church they attend. They got engaged on Thanksgiving in 2002.
     But the friend told The ENQUIRER that just before flying to Florida in mid-January to join her co-stars for a 10-day cruise to the Bahamas and Key West, Courtney told Robert he wasn't going with her. Then she asked him to use the time while she was away to move his stuff out and The ENQUIRER has the exclusive photos.
     "When Courtney arrived back at her Los Angeles home January 26, Robert and all his clothing and furniture were gone," said the friend.
     The doctor is still reeling from being dumped, say insiders.
     "He doesn't know what he did wrong," said the friend. "Courtney hit him with this out of the blue. One morning she simply woke up and decided it was over."
     Adds the friend: "Courtney broke off her engagement to Robert with aloof detachment — like he was a total stranger instead of the man she planned to live with the rest of her life."
     "Only a week earlier she had been telling friends how much she loved Robert. She even gave interviews in which she talked about the romantic way he had proposed to her — plus she proudly showed off her sparkling engagement ring on TV."
     "But from one week to the next, she appears to have changed her mind and fallen out of love."

— Patricia Towle