Ant Anstead became well-known in 2014 by sharing his love of classic cars on his show, “The World’s Most Expensive Cars,” but what truly put his name on the map was his marriage and its detrimental fallout to his ex-wife, HGTV’s Christina Hall. The couple went Instagram official in January 2018, tying the knot later that year in December. They welcomed their son, Hudson, in September 2019, and their little family was complete.

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Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before Anstead and Hall announced to the world that they were separating, and the subsequent consequences of the whirlwind romance were brought to light, including a custody battle that revealed a lot of troubling information. Since Anstead’s personal life has already been aired for all to see, many are left wondering what other tragedies the British TV personality has undergone before meeting his current girlfriend, actor Renée Zellweger. From his early career as a police officer to all of the legal drama with his ex-wife to his company filing for bankruptcy in 2024, let’s dive into all of the tragic details about Ant Anstead.

Before he moved to America in 2017 to host “Wheeler Dealers USA,” Ant Anstead spent his previous 38 years living in England. Even before he knew he could turn his passion for cars into a career, he spent six years of his early adult life in the late 90s and early 2000s in the police force.

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During an interview with Influx in 2016, Anstead recalled, “When I was 18 and a half, I joined the police force. I knew I didn’t want to go down the education route with University, etc., so I ended up a copper, and I can honestly say it’s the best decision I have ever made.” He went on to explain that when he was 23, he was promoted to be one of the youngest tactical fire-arm officers on the force, a position that led him to witness and perform some grueling tasks.

Anstead later revealed that he became acquainted with John Duffy during his time in the unit, an infamous serial killer who later became known as the “Railway Murderer.” “​​It changed everything for me. I received two commendations for bravery and have faced a number of life-threatening incidents — really opening my eyes to what humans are capable of,” he said, continuing to explain how his career as an officer translated to his budding career as a TV presenter, “When you’re standing in front of someone armed — that’s real fear — it kind of makes standing on stage or in front of a camera easy.”

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As mentioned previously, Ant Anstead and Christina Hall shocked the world when they announced they were getting divorced in September 2020. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Hall wrote, “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. We appreciate your support and ask for privacy for us and our family as we navigate the future” (via People).

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To many, the couple seemed picture-perfect: a happily blended family (as both Anstead and Hall had two children from previous relationships) that had just welcomed their baby boy a year prior. So, where exactly did things go wrong? In September 2020, Anstead addressed the news on social media with an Instagram post that hinted at who had done the damage. “Anyone who really knows me knows that I don’t like to share private matters publicly,” he wrote alongside a black-and-white selfie of him and Haack, “I have remained silent while holding on to hope. I never gave up on us. I pray Christina’s decision brings her happiness.”

Later, in December 2020, Anstead sat down with People to reveal what was going on behind the scenes. “I think everybody knows this was not my decision,” he admitted, continuing, “If you ask anybody that knows me properly, they know that I give myself fully.” Despite the heartache, the “For the Love of Cars” alum seems to be doing well. He revealed that he embarked on a journey of self-discovery with a mental health retreat and a course designed to help overcome breakups. “Not only have I improved my mental health,” Anstead gleamed, “I’ve actually made a real conscious decision to go and improve my physical health, as well. I mean, for the first time in my life, I’m actually now taking vitamins!”

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Ant Anstead and Christina Hall’s divorce was finalized in June 2021, but the drama was far from over. They were initially granted joint custody of their son, Hudson, but in April 2022, TMZ reported that Anstead was filing an emergency case for sole custody of the little boy. According to the court documents obtained by the publication, Anstead made this move as a result of Hall exploiting the child in ads and brand deals for social media, as well as putting him in harm’s way. Of course, this is all alleged, but Anstead came prepared with receipts and screenshots, one of which showed a picture of a sunburnt Hudson that Anstead sent to Hall after she had dropped him off. Her lackluster response was quite telling, as she wrote, “It didn’t feel hot. Give him some Tylenol I’m sure it will be better tomorrow.”

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It didn’t take more than a few days for Anstead’s request for sole custody to be denied because of a lack of evidence proving the child was in immediate danger and because Hall wasn’t properly informed before the filing. The battle was still well underway in September, as Hall came in swinging, vehemently denying the allegations Anstead made against her. “He appeared in a few of my own Instagram ads that each took less than 5 minutes to film,” she said of the exploitation claim. “I have all the footage, and they were all fun activities that he enjoyed doing, such as playing with toys or making cookies,” Hall admitted in documents obtained by People before revealing that she had ceased posting her son online per Anstead’s request. Finally, in December 2022, the former couple was able to settle the case outside of court, both agreeing to joint custody, as they had when their divorce was finalized.

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Tragedy struck in Ant Anstead’s life again in 2023 when he lost a dear friend and business partner. In July 2023, Anstead took to his Instagram story to share the heartbreaking news. In the black and white pic of Anstead’s late friend, he wrote, “This morning I woke to the news that my friend and partner in our Tipo184 project passed away in his sleep” (via Hello! Magazine). Tipo184 is described as “A British car company that turns vehicles into art pieces,” per their website.

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Anstead continued in the post that his friend and business partner, Tibor, died at 49 and is survived by his wife and three kids. “Tibor was a proper chap of substance, and my heart breaks for his family. A reminder that life is short and fragile and we never truly know when our time comes,” Anstead wrote. “Say YES as often as you can and live a life that overflows with moments.” He finished off the post with a broken heart emoji.

In October 2024, a different one of Ant Anstead’s car companies, Radford Motors, filed for bankruptcy, but that’s not to say the TV personality wasn’t already somewhat prepared for its demise. In April 2023, just as the business venture was still in its beginning stages, Anstead sat down with People and explained the uncertainties. “This is personally a huge risk for me. We have seven people, and we privately funded this. We are doing it. We’re risking everything.”

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Unfortunately, the risk outweighed the reward. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was accused of misrepresentation and fraud, according to documents obtained by People, after a partner filed a lawsuit against Anstead and one of the other founders in March 2024, claiming that he was owed $2 million. Later in July, another partner came forward and claimed that the finances were not being handled properly. In October, Anstead came forward with a statement to People. “Radford is implementing strategic organizational enhancements while maintaining full operational continuity,” he said, continuing, “I remain fully committed to advancing Radford’s vision and growth. My role and dedication to Radford’s success continue unchanged.” Unfortunately, things didn’t go the way Anstead hoped.

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