Is it the Bufo toad smoke show? The steamy side piece? Or the part where she throws
in her own kid as collateral? Think you're a loyal fan? Check out Christina
Hall's most controversial moments. Long after their divorce was finalized,
Tarek El Moussa and Christina Hall continued to work together on their "Flip or Flop" series.
The show was a hit and they knew the drill. Hey, they had been filming it since 2013,
after all. But the drama soon came to a head on set one fateful day in July 2021.
"Here we go again."
As TMZ reported, El Moussa got upset with the way Hall signaled him to
start filming. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. A few days prior,
Hall had shared on Instagram that she was coping with anxiety by using a psychedelic. She wrote:
"I had taken time off social [media], hired a spiritual coach, and smoked
a Bufo toad (which basically reset my brain and kicked out years of anxiety in 15 mins)."
Hall's news apparently sent El Moussa over the edge,
and he then blew up at Hall. According to TMZ, he said that he "made" her career,
and called her a "washed-up loser." El Moussa reportedly added,
"Look at me, look at me, look at me. It's called winning. The world knows you're crazy!"
He also allegedly claimed that his then-future wife, Heather Rae Young,
was hotter and richer than Hall. Back when El Moussa and Hall were a couple,
and "Flip or Flop" was in its heyday, the pair expanded their revenue by launching seminars
for rookie flippers. Classes began with a video of the couple explaining that they couldn't be
there in person because they were, of course, busy flipping houses, according to the AP.
"Oh, you didn't tell me it smelled like that!"
"Yep." "That's the smell of future money."
To make matters worse for clients, registration cost nearly $2,000 plus an extra $1,000 for real
estate software. They also claimed that clients would get their money back if they didn't flip
their homes within a set amount of time. But when people tried to get refunds, they were given
the runaround. Many attendees were even sold additional seminars — to the tune of $26,000.
Things got so serious that the Federal Trade Commission put a
temporary restraining order on the company hosting the couple's workshops. The reason?
"[They] used the promise of easy money and in-depth information to lure consumers down
a path that could cost them thousands of dollars and put them in serious debt."
While Christina and Tarek's divorce was being finalized in 2017,
Hall was spotted with a man the couple knew before they split. Contractor Gary Anderson
had reportedly worked on the couple's pool when they were still married,
and it allegedly caused some tension. A source told In Touch,
"Christina grew close to Gary. Tarek was suspicious that she was
getting involved with someone, but had no concrete evidence."
The insider also claimed El Moussa saw something on Hall's phone that indicated
intimate contact between Hall and Anderson. The HGTV power couple separated in December 2016,
and after El Moussa filed for divorce in early 2017,
Hall was seen walking arm in arm with Anderson. So had there been an overlap in their marriage
regarding other relationships? The former couple said in a statement to the outlet,
"Neither of us was involved in a romantic relationship with any third party prior
to our separation, or believes the other was."
El Moussa later opened up about the wave of fabricated tales around his
and Hall's relationship, telling E! News,
"No matter the lies, innuendo, salacious gossip and 'fake news' […] I will keep my focus on
what matters most which is co-parenting our children and working hard on our businesses."
Hall went on to marry Ant Anstead in December 2018 in a surprise wedding
at their California home. They soon announced they were expecting their first child together,
and welcomed their son Hudson in September 2019.
"Seems a little too good to be true, doesn't it?"
But the couple shocked fans everywhere when Hall announced that they were
splitting. As she posted on Instagram in September 2020,
"Ant and I have made the difficult decision to separate. We are grateful for each other,
and as always, our children will remain our priority."
Shortly after, Anstead shared his own reaction to the news,
and it appeared that the two were not at all on the same page. Just
months before Hall officially filed for divorce, Anstead revealed on Instagram,
"I have remained silent while holding onto hope. I never gave up on us. I
pray Christina's decision brings her happiness."
Splitting assets between the two seemed to be a breeze, at first. Hall kept five properties –- one
in Tennessee and four in California –- plus her wedding ring, a Range Rover, and a Bentley,
according to TMZ. Meanwhile, Anstead maintained ownership of his business as well as seven luxury
cars. Neither party was required to pay child support and they planned to split custody of
their son Hudson. That is, until they didn't… Things got messy between the former couple when
it came to agreeing on custody of Hudson. In April 2022, Anstead requested full custody,
according to court docs. He claimed that Hall used Hudson in her social media posts as cute
bait. And he alleged that, on average, Hall was with Hudson only nine full days a month.
Her ex's blast was, unsurprisingly, hurtful to Hall, who then told TMZ,
"What Ant is doing deeply saddens me. If this was really about Hudson, as he says,
this should have been handled privately with a private judge or mediation,
as myself and my attorney have suggested. I have had my share of ups and downs,
but I am a good mom and I love my children with all my heart and I will always protect them."
Hall also clapped back at Anstead, filing documents to show that Anstead uses their
son Hudson in sponsored social media posts, as noted by TMZ. She also denied the allegation that
she only spends nine days a month with her son. A judge denied Anstead's request for full custody,
but as of late 2022, things still appear to be unresolved between the two parents.
For the most part, Hall and Tarek's new wife, Heather Rae,
reportedly get along just fine. At the very least, they keep a respectful distance while
co-parenting Hall and El Moussa’s children, Taylor and Brayden. As Tarek told Us Weekly,
"You know, we really focus on our household. And we have certain things we do at our household,
and I know she focuses on her household and there are certain things she does at her household."
While those sound like relatively respectful boundaries, lines were crossed at a soccer
game in May 2022. The Daily Mail caught photos of Heather appearing to start a
verbal altercation with Hall. Things apparently got so heated that El Moussa had to come over
and pull Heather away. Not long after, one of the soccer coaches had to step in and
separate El Moussa and Christina's husband, Josh Hall, who were then arguing as well.
But it seems things resolved themselves quickly. Perhaps that was due in part
to a health crisis involving Brayden. According to Us Weekly, he was rushed
to the hospital where he underwent an emergency appendectomy. As Hall shared on social media,
"Stressful 24 hours but a good reminder how important teamwork/co-parenting is. We are all
under pressure, but when it really matters we were all there for Brayden doing our part."
Does Hall have a little fun throwing shade at some of her exes on Instagram? Following her marriages
to Tarek El Moussa and Ant Anstead, Hall wed real estate agent Joshua Hall in a private ceremony in
April 2022. And she has frequently discussed how low-key she tries to be when it comes
to publicity, with her latest relationship. As she explained on Instagram in July 2021,
"When we met this past spring, the synchronicities hit us so hard and
fast they were impossible to ignore. I felt immediately crazy protective over him and
wanted to keep him for myself and get to know each other before the tornado (media attention) hit."
In April 2022, Hall posted another shot of the couple and added the caption:
"Prayed for a man who was all man but still treated me like his queen. Never give up."
While it may have been an innocent post, many fans thought it was a little dig aimed at El Moussa
and Anstead. Still, later on in her Instagram stories, Hall clarified the situation, writing,
"My posts are never 'throwing shade' at anyone. I don't even think like [that]. I live in the
present, not the past. I'm focused on Josh and the kids and work […] nothing and no
one else. People need to stop comparing and making up scenarios. Josh treats me
like a queen and that's what matters to me." Hall has been open about her health struggles over
the years — as well as her attempts to resolve them. She posted to Instagram in October 2021,
"I've suffered on and off since 2016 with extreme stomach pain. It has been written
off as stress and doctors have tried to put me on all the pills/meds, but luckily I realized
masking it wasn't the answer. I wanted to fix the problem, so I really focused on my nutrition."
"It’s just, I'm open to trying new things, and like I’m just open to like,
bettering myself and feeling good, so I'm willing to try whatever."
But the cure wasn't a simple one. As Hall continued searching for answers,
health and wellness became a key part of her brand. She wrote a book — in
collaboration with nutritionist Cara Clark — called "The Wellness Remodel:
A Guide to Rebooting How You Eat, Move, and Feed Your Soul." But as much as they love Christina,
the book scored mediocre reviews from fans. One reviewer posted:
"I appreciate they touched on all aspects of health: faith, fitness, self-care,
and eating well, but the text was very repetitive and only acts as a basis for change, not enlisting
actual methods to improve life. The stories both authors told felt very shallow and unbelievable."
Another reader didn't connect at all with the spiritual components, commenting:
"Practical advice. Didn't try any of the recipes, so can't evaluate those. A pretty book,
but a little woo woo for me (sage cleansing and crystals anyone?)."
Well, rose quartz energy bracelets, kale smoothies and bufo toads aren't for everyone!