The Aftermath Of HGTV Stars Christina Hall & Tarek El Moussa's Divorce Was Sadder Than We Knew
HGTV stars Christina Hall and Tarek El Moussa's messy divorce proved that splitting from a spouse is never easy, no matter how many signs were there to warn that the marriage wasn't going to last. The former couple of "Flip or Flop" fame was married from 2009 to 2016, finalizing their divorce two years later in 2018. And as sad as their story already was, El Moussa revealed even more devastating details on a January 2024 episode of "The Jeff Fenster Show."
Amidst their highly publicized — and sometimes even televised — split, El Moussa was dealing with back-to-back thyroid and testicular cancer diagnoses and subsequent drug addiction. The couple also struggled with fertility issues and professional incompatibilities that made their divorce expected, albeit heartbreaking. But even more tragic than the couple's tense split were the years immediately after, in which El Moussa lived in a halfway house.
After struggling with dependency on medication he received during his various medical treatments, El Moussa told podcast host Jeff Fenster, "I ended up there ... because I didn't know where to go, and I needed 24-hour care."
Tarek El Moussa's mental health suffered due to ongoing medical issues
While on an episode of the "Dr. Drew Show" podcast, real estate investor Tarek El Moussa opened up about how the steroid and hormone treatments he took to battle testicular and thyroid cancer were causing severe mood swings, anxiety, and depression. El Moussa also suffered a back injury four months after his second cancer diagnosis, which led to a dependency on painkillers, throwing his health even more out of whack.
"I was on Vicodin every day. On top of that, my hormones are off, I'm on pain meds and narcotics, and I'm filming and working. It was a really rough three, four years. It was a horrifying experience," he told podcast host Dr. Drew. He attributed these challenges as a causing factor of his divorce from Christina Hall while on "The Jeff Fenster Show," saying, "I had highs, I had lows, I was manic, I was happy, I was sad. I was living in turmoil for years, and, you know, ultimately that turmoil led to my divorce."
El Moussa's unstable mental and physical health led to his decision to check himself into a halfway house, which offered a safe environment with round-the-clock support for those transitioning out of rehabilitation, mental health treatment, or incarceration. The former "Flip or Flop" star told Fenster he would detail more of his experience in the halfway house in his memoir "Flip Your Life."
The frightening experience that led to Christina and Tarek's final split
Long-time fans of Christina Hall and Tarek El Moussa might've already been privy to the couple's impending split after watching the multiple instances when Hall and Moussa didn't get along on their HGTV show "Flip or Flop," but few could've been prepared to hear about the shocking incident at the reality TV couple's home that catalyzed their divorce. Police were called to Hall and El Moussa's California home in May 2016 after receiving a call about "a possibly suicidal male with a gun," per People.
Law enforcement officers quickly located El Houssa on a hiking trail. He complied with officers' requests and later said the situation was a misunderstanding. El Houssa told police officers he was going on a walk to "blow off steam" after a disagreement with Hall, and he took a gun to protect himself against wildlife. Regardless, the incident was a turning point in the couple's relationship, and they announced their split seven months later in December 2016.
And indeed, both Hall and El Moussa have appeared to move on from this tumultuous time in their lives. Hall was briefly married to Ant Anstead from 2018 to 2021 and had a child with him, Hudson, before settling with her third husband, Joshua Hall, in April 2022. El Moussa has been married to Heather Rae Young since October 2021. The two couples work to co-parent Hall and El Moussa's two children, Taylor and Brayden.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.