True story: when the news came out about Christina and Tarek El Moussa’s split the handyman who works on my house texted me to get the gossip. That’s when you know you’re respected by your community, when people start asking for your take on the gossip. That’s also my favorite response when people hear what I do for a living “ooh what do you know about Brad and Angelina’s split?” The worst is “gossip is frivolous/trashy/stupid.” So I told the guy who fixes stuff in my house that Tarek and Christina had split after a fight in May, which we were only hearing about then, in December, and that during the incident he had run off with some guns and had to be confronted by the cops. Since then we’ve heard much more about them, including the fact that Tarek was so emotionally abusive and threatening to Christina on set that the crew worked to shield her from him, and that they were both seeing other people. Christina continued filming the show with Tarek and tried play nice, which is how a lot of abuse victims handle it, and it’s thought that they’re trying to negotiate another season of their show once their contract is completed with HGTV for this current season. That news about potentially continuing the show together came out a few days ago. Now we’re seeing a photo of Christina out with her new boyfriend, a contractor. In Touch has the photo and this story:
In the midst of her nasty divorce from Tarek El Moussa, Christina El Moussa takes her new relationship public. In Touch magazine has exclusively obtained the first photos of the Flip or Flop star and her new man, Gary Anderson.
The couple took an hour-long stroll through the upscale neighborhood near Gary’s home in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Jan. 26. “They seemed so relaxed and comfortable together — totally in sync,” a witness says of the pair, who were seen at his house the night before as well. “Christina looked adoringly at him. She was beaming!”
“They had big smiles,” the witness adds. “You could see the spark is there.”
“Gary seems enamored with Christina,” another witness says of the contractor, who picked up a bouquet of flowers at a Costco near his home on Jan. 27.
“She likes that Gary is so much more mature than Tarek. It’s a safe relationship, and she’s happy with him,” an HGTV insider says.
“Gary’s been there for her while she’s gone through hell with Tarek,” the insider adds. As In Touch magazine previously reported, Tarek humiliated Christina by groping her breasts and butt and making her cry while filming their hit show Flip or Flop.
Christina refuses to deny that Tarek treated her like garbage. She told In Touch through her rep that she would “not be providing any comments” about Tarek’s behavior.
I really hope this means that Christina is taking a stand and is trying to get out from under Tarek’s thumb. I hope this new guy is good to her and that she’s happy. HGTV should fire Tarek and give Christina her own show without him. I have only seen Flip or Flop a couple of times and don’t have a strong opinion on Christina’s designs or her role on the show, but I don’t think HGTV should continue to give a platform to an abuser. I mean crew (allegedly) witnessed him threatening to rape her. That’s horrible, it’s not a “joke” in any way, and it’s textbook abuse. That alone should have gotten him canned.
Oh and I hope In Touch is right about The Duggars getting a divorce, but I doubt it.
I hope they let her out of her contract and don’t try to continue the show with Tarek and Christina. I, for one, have no interest in watching them together knowing what we now know.
+1 I agree. I mean do viewers really WANT to see them together? They were married so that was cute I guess. But watching two people with animosity and tension isn’t cute. They aren’t friends. And they aren’t vital to each other- each could perform their job with a different work partner. My point is- unnecessary to keep them together- and awkward.
Sorry, but I side eye anyone who is willing to overlook abuse for the sake of a dollar. She’s trying to negotiate another season with that freak? And if that doesn’t work, Mr. Costco Flowers is there to step in. Smells to high heaven to me.
It doesn’t have to be about money–if she has a contract that HGTV isn’t letting her out of, it is about lawsuits and her future career.
It’s easy for us to say that but a contract is a contract and unless you have money for good lawyers – you’re stuck in it.
She has children she needs to support. There was a report out last week that Tarek is spending all their savings on his new gf. Christina is just trying to make sure she is financially secure. She may be going about it in a way we don’t agree with, but that doesn’t really matter.
And the costco flower comment, have you seen the flowers at costco?! They are beautiful!!! I do most of my flower shopping there.
I don’t like either of these two, and I wouldn’t watch a spin off show starring only her. That said, HGTV needs to grow a pair and cancel the show– send a message that the network doesn’t tacitly condone abusers.
The only way I’d watch a show with her is if she TOTALLY changes her design style. It’s the worst. Completely soulless, imo. Good luck with the new relationship, tho
If someone told me that picture was a lady walking down the street with her father, I’d totally believe them. She looks younger than her age here, and the grey beard makes him look older, so they’re probably not THAT far apart, but hmmm. Good for her for finding someone that hopefully treats her well, but as far as pap stroll photos, the “lunch with my dad while I’m home for spring break” isn’t a great look.
Yeah, and in the article they described the relationship as “safe” and him as “mature”. That is a red flag to me, as does jumping into another relationship after an abusive one. I hope he is a good guy but she could just as easily have found a man willing to use his age and experience to diminish her thoughts and control her.
I almost think everything is a rumor. HGTV seems to cut ties where there’s scandal pretty quickly – why hasn’t the show been cancelled, if there’s any credence to all this? It’s such a weird situation. They’re both a little creepy, if you ask me.
I posted this comment on the last thread about Tarek and Christina, and I’ll repost it here. I actually have a conspiracy theory about how this whole situation has gone down:
Like literally within a week tops of the stories about Chip and Joanna Gaines’ gay-bashing preacher coming out, the Tarek/Christina gun incident got leaked to TMZ. How was something that happened in May not leaked until November or December? Especially since TMZ is known to have paid moles in the LAPD? I know the El Moussas are only “just” on HGTV and not on a network, but still. So my conspiracy theory is that HGTV saw all the criticism being thrown at Chip and Jo for being homophobes, and since Fixer Upper is a mega cash cow and Flip or Flop really isn’t, somebody at HGTV tipped off TMZ to take the spotlight away from Chip and Jo. And, you know, mission accomplished. Nobody’s talking about Chip and Jo being right-wing nutjobs anymore. And Tarek and Christina’s contract is almost up anyway, so HGTV can not renew it and nobody will question that decision based on the El Moussas’ personal drama.
‘k. bye.
I read the head line and thought “I bet new boyfriend is slade smiley”. He was the perpetual housewives of Oc dater who was years behind on child support (and his kid had cancer), had declared bankruptcy several times and was involved in some shady businesses.
I haven’t seen the show but it’s unfortunate hgtv continues to film and abuseive situation.
Threatening violence should be enough for HGTV to void his contract and kick him to the curb. Why aren’t they???
She is awful on the show – no charisma or personality – just a pretty face. I do like her design choices, but her voice is awful and she just doesn’t really add anything to the show. The show is pretty bad anyway…I really don’t think it will be missed if it goes off the air.
I wonder why she had another child with him if he is as bad as he is portrayed to be? I think there might be a lot more stuff behind the scenes than what is being reported. It seems like they went off the rails in a hurry – which is odd for a couple who had chosen to have another baby. Plus they were getting a line of tiles/ceramics coming out? It will all go down the drain.
A lot of people in shaky relationships think having another child will make it better. Unfortunately, it usually doesn’t.
I agree with your previous statement… not a whole lot of people will miss that show if it went down… I stopped watching it because the chemistry between them sucks (and now we know why!), and her almost whiney voice, and him just being a tool. ByeBye guys… good luck!
And, Christina? How about you focus on your kids and stop needing a man in your life all the time! you and your kids need you right now.
I go through brief HGTV binges for a month or two, then stop for 6 months and repeat cycle. Anyway, I was pretty slow to the Fixxer Upper show which I liked, but then noticed the designs were all shiplap/white/black circle pendant lamps/open concept rough farmhouse chic and got a strong Christian Coalition vibe so I stopped watching them. My husband grudgingly watched a few episodes of Flip or Flop with me and he said, “What’s with this guy? He seems creepy. It seems like she and the other workers do everything while he just stands around panicking like a man-baby. He reminds me of Brock Turner. Is this guy a rapist, or something? I can’t watch this anymore”
Tarek is a drama queen & oppurtunist and she us a diva they both need to grow up. The show is a joke time for cancellation. …neither one show any professional character. And as parents they need some therapy ..
Yeah, I’m going to have to cosign with the other doubters. They both seem like opportunists. And somehow I just don’t believe that she was being openly terrorized like this on set, and NOTHING about it leaked out.