Celebrities have been under fire a lot this year. Whether it's based on vapid comments or conspiracy theories, people have had no problem openly attacking them through social media. Ant Anstead is the latest target.
Ant, otherwise known as Anthony Richard Anstead, is a car builder and motor specialist who's known best for hosting shows like Wheeler Dealers. One of his first gigs was the series For the Love of Cars, which aired in the United Kingdom. But he's also known for being part of one of the most interesting love triangles in reality television history.
Quickly after dating, Ant married Christina El Moussa and the two had a child — who is Ant's third. Christina is half of the HGTV show Flip or Flop and was famously married to her cohost, Tarek El Moussa. However, the two separated — which was a tough transition for viewers.
But that wasn't the end of the spotlight for Christina. She was given her own show, Christina on the Coast. And from the looks of it, the split was mutually beneficial for the two of them. Tarek has also moved on. But some fans don't seem comfortable with how casual Ant is over the situation.
While the marriage and baby arrival seemed to happen quickly, Ant seems hopelessly devoted to his new wife. In a recent post, Ant stated, "I say "Happy anniversary" to the Wifey EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY ! Drives her crazy ." But from there, he made an announcement about what's been going on.
"The world is crazy right now," he said. "And for all the good things social media has it also carries a toxic element! I have blocked over 100 people in the last few days. Humans are lashing out. And it saddens me!" So what better option than to give Instagram a bit of a break?
After announcing his break, Ant stated that he was going to "use the time to pamper the wife, annoy the kids, eat a vast about of carbs and watch movies that were made in the 1980s!" Ant Anstead — he's just like us. He left with the final note of "Be kind to each other and see ya soon."
A lot of that negativity comes from the fact that Ant seemed more than happy over Tarek's news of his own engagement. HGTV's Instagram posted that Tarek was officially engaged to his partner Heather Rae Young, and Ant posted a comment showcasing his happiness over the arrangement. As expected, some people took it the wrong way.
Ant wrote, "Congratulations you two!! (What took you so long …. ) ❤️," which, to an outside fan, may seem a little strange. But it's important to remember that the four of them likely have a relationship and an understanding outside of social media. Over 2,000 people liked the comment.
But others were quick to criticize. "Why don't the four of you all go on a date together? Weirdest relationship ever," someone commented. The good news is that the positive did outweigh the negative. More people were happy that Ant took a classy approach to the news.
And some were a little tongue-in-cheek, insinuating that Ant married Christina incredibly fast. "Not quite as fast as you moved, but how great for all of you to be happy and working hard to give all of these children the love and stability that will help them thrive," a commenter said. Still, that little bit of negativity may have bothered Ant, who typically isn't too controversial of a celebrity.
While 100 may seem like a lot, celebrities often block many more negative and abusive followers than that. Chrissy Teigen has blocked thousands of people who are trying to make her year even harder. She estimated it was up to a million accounts. She also reportedly wiped away 60,000 of her tweets that may have been taken the wrong way.
Back in the day, fans often resorted to snail mail as a way to try to interact with their favorite celebrities. But now with social media, many of those celebrities seem easier to reach. All it takes is a fun interaction in order to get their attention. Plus, there's a high chance they'll read something that gains a lot of traction.
But this can be detrimental to celebrities, since people often forget that they, too, have feelings. For celebrities like Ant, who seemingly enjoys a mostly private life, these revelations can be a little unsettling. While he may be happy with Christina, he has a host of people with their own opinions on the relationship — and they're not afraid to share them.
It's also hard, since television only shows so much. When the cameras stop rolling, the four people involved have their own methods of communication that don't get openly shared. Knowing what happens behind the scenes isn't "owed" to the viewers. It just seems like the four of them don't have any hostility toward each other.
But especially since he has kids, it makes sense for Ant to take a break. And his own fans seem to accept that. "Good for you!! I am all about a social media cleanse. I hope you and your beautiful family are doing well," one fan posted.
Ant and Christina had son Hudson in 2019. He is a wonderful addition to their blended family. Prior to Christina, Ant had children Archie and Amelie with his ex-wife. Christina and Tarek share children Taylor and Brayden. "We wanted to make it about the kids," Christina told People magazine, regarding her wedding to Ant. "It's the six of us. We're a blended family so it was really important for them to be a part of it."
Hopefully, Ant enjoys his time away from social media. Sometimes, especially during this chaotic year, it's nice to take a little break and refocus on yourself. It seems like despite what the commenters have to say, Ant and Christina are the happiest they've been in years.
