Ant Anstead Was Never The Same Since His Divorce From Christina Hall
Long before his romance with A-list actor Renée Zellweger started making headlines, car connoisseur and Discovery Channel personality Ant Anstead was in another high-profile relationship. We're, of course, talking about his courtship with former "Flip or Flop" star Christina Hall, who Anstead married in December 2018 after she ended her marriage with her co-star and real estate partner, Tarek El Moussa.
Alas, Christina Hall and Ant Anstead's marriage wouldn't last either. The HGTV star ended things in 2020, months after she and the "Wheeler Dealers" host welcomed their son, Hudson. Her statement on the split suggested it was a mutual decision but it soon became clear it was mostly her choice. A source divulged to People, "After the baby, they started having conflicts ... [she was] lonely and unhappy." Anstead seemed to confirm that on Instagram when he addressed the breakup in a post. "I never gave up on us. I pray Christina's decision brings her happiness," he wrote. Following her split from Anstead, Christina went on to marry a real estate agent named Joshua Hall.
Anstead has also moved on from their relationship, and he's apparently since used that tough experience to grow and change in his personal life and his career. So let's break down why Ant Anstead has not been the same since his divorce from Christina Hall.
Ant Anstead did program-based healing work
Ant Anstead was honest about how his divorce from Christina Hall left him feeling extremely low and even unhealthy. He told People, "It really hit me hard. The impact on me, my sleep, my diet, my stress, it showed." Thankfully, the TV host decided to get help learning how to enjoy life again through Create the Love's "Breakup Recovery" course. Anstead shared with his Instagram followers that it had been a "lifeline" for him and got him in control of his own destiny. Its creator, Mark Groves, praised him for sharing that, telling Yahoo, "What a great example for us and that your masculinity is not attached to your emotionality."
Anstead didn't stop his healing work there either, since he also took part in a faith-based program called Rise Up Kings. Anstead not only shared some of the physical work he did with the group on Instagram, but discussed in an interview with E! News how his faith in general helped him overcome his breakup. He dished, "I really leaned into it and I found real solace and security—particularly in my bible study."
It seems that Anstead not only came to realize that he deserves to mend his heart but that he can use his pain to empower himself. After he completed both programs, he shared that he was ready to move on with a fresh start and would do so with gratitude because of what he learned.
Ant Anstead stays focused on fatherhood
Following his split from Christina Hall, Ant Anstead leaned on his three kids. The former "Craft It Yourself" star has two teenage children, Amelie and Archie, from his first marriage to Louise Storey, and a young son, Hudson, whom he shares with Hall. Anstead credits Hudson in particular for helping him get through his divorce, telling People, "He's filled my heart. He really saved me."
The car expert has also referred to Amelie and Archie as his "best friends" despite him being based in California and them living in England. The family relies on technology to stay connected when they can't see each other in person. "We make do and consider how lucky we are with FaceTime and we have a text group ... which is littered with daily contact," Anstead explained to Hello!
Despite Anstead's busy TV schedule and blossoming romantic relationship, a source told People that he still makes spending time with his children a priority. From the looks of Anstead's Instagram, he's done a great job with that too, considering that he frequently posts snaps with his kids. In March 2023, for example, he shared that he took an overnight flight to be at Archie's rugby tournament in London. In April, Anstead then posted about taking Hudson to Disneyland in California. He then shared that they all came together for a family party later that month.
The car builder found his dream home
After his relationship with Christina Hall drew to a close, Ant Anstead was evidently inspired to channel his inner HGTV star and design his own home. The car builder first lived in a small rental apartment for a few months though after leaving their shared home with nothing but his clothes. Anstead admitted to People that he had felt uprooted during that time, but he eventually saw the good in the experience. "Being held in that really simple space, not only has it meant I've ended up with the house of my dreams, but it's actually meant that I simplified my life," he said.
Getting the house of his dreams wasn't easy though. Anstead told People that his dream home was taken off the market before he could buy it, and once he did actually get the place, there was a lot of work to be done. But Anstead was willing to do the renovations to make the home he called "The Temple House" work.
Anstead later shared on Instagram that his home became the "sanctuary" he needed to find solace and recharge, when showing off its breathtaking view of Laguna Beach. That city meant a lot to Anstead too, with him telling Laguna Beach Magazine, "It became a safe haven for me at a time when such a private portion of my life was being played out publicly."
The TV personality boosted his career with Celebrity IOU: Joyride
Ant Anstead's divorce may have been a personal setback, but his next professional gig after their break up was definitely a boost for his career. That's because in 2021 he began hosting the Discovery+ show, "Celebrity IOU: Joyride." The series was a spinoff of "Property Brothers" Drew and Jonathan Scott's home renovation series "Celebrity IOU." Instead of renovating homes, however, Anstead and his co-host, Cristy Lee, restored vintage cars for a person who a celebrity believed deserved it the most. "It has all the aspects you'd like from a show," Anstead told People, adding that it not only showcases car building and the private lives of celebrities but has an emotional component as well.
The job appeared to be a longtime coming for Anstead too, considering that he's been passionate about cars since childhood. He revealed on Access Hollywood that he actually built his first car when he was in high school. "Once I was bitten by the bug, I'm lucky enough to now do it as a career," he added.
Outside of the mechanics, Anstead sure seems to enjoy palling around with celebrities. For example, he gushed about working with the "utterly brilliant" James Marsden on Instagram and even went on to date "Bridget Jones's Diary" star Renée Zellweger after meeting her on the show. Anstead later joked to Extra, "The show is called 'IOU'...Thank you for your dating service. You can now take me off your database."
The Celebrity IOU: Joyride host started dating Renée Zellweger
"Celebrity IOU: Joyride" didn't just help Ant Anstead showcase his talents, considering that it also seemingly led him to land his first girlfriend post-divorce. As mentioned, Anstead began dating actor Renée Zellweger after they worked together on the Discovery+ series in 2021. It was a romance that Anstead apparently didn't see coming, telling People, "Sometimes when things collide, they collide at the most obscure times when you least expect them."
Unlike his relationship with Christina Hall, Anstead wanted to keep his romance with Zellweger private so they could enjoy it without the pressure. However, they were caught by paparazzi. "We kept it secret for a while and now, unfortunately, some pictures were taken and put out there," Anstead told E! News. By September 2021 though, it seems Anstead decided that they might as well go "Instagram official" since he posted his first photo of them. He made it clear how smitten he was when he followed that up with a photo of them kissing in New Orleans. He even promoted her TV series, "The Thing About Pam," and praised her classiness in the caption of another photo of them cuddling.
It appears that Anstead's three children were just as taken with Zellweger. Anstead told Us Weekly that his eldest kids, Amelie and Archie, met her over FaceTime before they had a "lovely" time hanging out in person. As for Anstead's baby, a source said in People, "She is always very playful and sweet with Hudson."
Ant Anstead concentrated on co-parenting
Ant Anstead is no stranger to co-parenting, as he shares two children with his first ex-wife. When he and Christina Hall divorced, he acknowledged that co-parenting can get complicated and messy, but he was determined to do right by their son, Hudson. "There are so many co-parents out there that allow emotions, bitterness, anger and jealousy to control them," he told People.
In a separate chat with ET, Anstead shared that he's maintained a solid relationship with Amelie and Archie's mother, whom he was married to for over 20 years. He revealed to Us Weekly that they aren't only great friends but FaceTime a few times a week about family matters. While not seeing his kids all the time is difficult for Anstead, he admitted there are benefits to splitting the time he has with them. "I almost have the best of both worlds. .... Mathematically, I get more time with them, and at times more dedicated," he told People.
As for how he's co-parented his young son, Hudson with Hall, well that seemingly hasn't been as easy since the exes criticized each other's parenting style during a nasty, months-long custody battle. However, their co-parenting relationship did start on a good note, with Anstead telling People in 2020 that each had no trouble getting time with their son when they asked for it.
Ant Anstead engaged in a nasty custody battle
In April 2022, Ant Anstead filed for full custody of Hudson. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Anstead felt Christina Hall put Hudson's health at risk after he was exposed to COVID-19 and got a severe sunburn when he was in her care. He also reportedly took issue with her smoking hallucinogenic toad venom. Additionally, Anstead claimed that Hall was mostly absent from Hudson's life and that when he was with her, she exploited him on her social media.
Anstead continued to post Hudson on his Instagram though, which led some people to wonder how his social media content is different from Hall's. However, he explained in a comment that he was just sharing natural moments. "Being a puppet 'used' for commercial gain...makes my stomach sick. The two are of course very different," he wrote. Unsurprisingly, Hall was upset over those allegations and blasted Anstead for making things public.
Hall and Anstead continued to take digs at each other throughout their custody battle. The latter even promoted an article about a law that would protect kids like Hudson from reality TV. Hall responded by calling Anstead "disturbing," and writing on her Instagram Story, "He is the ONLY ONE that keeps ensuring that Hudson's name stays in the press." Somehow by November 2022, the two were able to agree on joint custody with alternate holidays.
Ant Anstead sold The Temple house
It's safe to say that Ant Anstead's life took many different turns after his divorce from Christina Hall. In late 2022, he decided to sell his "dream house" that he purchased the year before. Yes, he was ready to part ways with the property he dubbed "The Temple," the home that seemingly served as his sanctuary after his split. In October 2022, he listed it for sale though, telling People that he didn't spend as much time in the abode as planned.
Anstead's girlfriend, actor Renée Zellweger, probably had something to do with that. She put her Topanga house on the market after they started dating and rented a home right across the street from Anstead in Laguna Beach. The Dirt reports that Zellweger's home was much larger than Anstead's 1,968 square foot cottage, which could be why they reportedly stayed at the former more often.
Anstead did admit, however, that he briefly changed his mind and pulled his home from the market for a spell. He even took to Instagram in January 2023 to share a photo of Hudson out on their deck, captioning it "Staying put. #Temple." Yet, as he said in the aforementioned chat with People, he did end up accepting an offer months later because he felt he found the right person for his special house. He added, "It came at the right time, for another property and a change in my personal life that I'm really pleased about."
He took a 'huge risk' with a docu-series
While car shows are nothing new for Ant Anstead, it seems he took his TV career to the next level in Spring 2023 by releasing his own docu-series, "Radford Reborn." Anstead had also starred in the Discovery+ series "Radford Returns" in 2022, which not only has a similar name but shares a concept. The show centered around him relaunching the famous and historic Radford car company; "Radford Reborn" is a five part docu-series on Speedvision which focuses on Anstead and his partner, Formula One driver Jensen Button, building the perfect car for the brand.
For Anstead, it apparently was the biggest challenge he's ever faced career-wise, considering that he not only competed against other high-end luxury car companies but privately financed the whole project with just a few other people. "This is personally a huge risk for me," he told People. The series also depicted Anstead in a different light than his past shows had. He explained, "This is authentic TV. ... You'll never find me in a show that has a fake deadline or a forced storyline."
The car they created ended up winning an award at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Several car collectors also purchased it as well. As for the series, Anstead not only promoted it on Instagram, but has ideas for more seasons in the future if it works out.
Ant Anstead got serious with Renée Zellweger
It's clear that Ant Anstead's romance with Renée Zellweger has been more than just a rebound relationship from Christina Hall since they've gotten very serious. In 2022, for example, the couple reportedly spent Thanksgiving on a romantic adventure in Arizona before Zellweger later joined Anstead's family in the UK for Christmas. "It's a very normal relationship and both are committed long-term," a tipster divulged to People.
In early 2023, another source told People that the couple had bought their first home because they're ready to move in together after two years of dating. The insider dished, "They are very happy and in love." Anstead commemorated that two year mark with an Instagram post as well, sharing a video of him and Zellweger and writing, "Two years of magic." The notoriously private movie star has talked about their relationship, too. She told Harper's Bazaar that she believes her late friend, Nanci Ryder, brought them together because she's why Zellweger went on "Celebrity IOU: Joyride" and met Anstead. "It made me smile to think on this, yeah, the serendipity of it all," she said.
While it's unknown if marriage is in the cards for Anstead ever again, it appears he found his happily ever after with Zellweger regardless. So while Anstead's divorce from Hall led to some major changes, many of those changes sure seem to be working out.