It’s not always easy to be in the public. Heather Rae Young recently had to face that truth, as she addressed some troubling rumors. Commenters have been suggesting that Heather has been changing her style to look more like her boyfriend’s ex. The ex in question, Christina Anstead, was married to Tarek El Moussa, and the two had a popular show on HGTV together. When Heather started dating Tarek, she faced some backlash. It’s true that both women are tall, blonde, and have prominent features. However, it seems like a stretch to suggest that Heather is playing that up so she can look like Christina.
What Heather had to Say
Heather decided to address the issue on her Instagram recently. In response to the accusations, she said, “last time I checked I’ve looked like this my whole life”. She brings up a valid point. Her looks haven’t changed drastically during her time in the public eye. Saying that she suddenly transformed herself to look like her partner’s ex is a little unreasonable. More importantly, the blame lies with Tarek. It’s obvious that he has a specific look that he prefers in a woman. Rather than blaming Heather, it’s more accurate to say that Tarek picked someone who looks like his ex.
And that’s understandable. Most people have particular physical features and character traits that they prefer in a romantic partner. The same is true for Christiana. Her husband Ant doesn’t look exactly like Tarek, but there are some subtle similarities, like in the chin and cheekbones. Overall, it’s clear that both Christina and Tarek are drawn to people with strong features. They liked that in each other, so naturally they would look for that in their new partners as well.
How it Started
Tarek and Heather began their relationship in a fairly public way. Back in July, the two were caught kissing by the paparazzi. At the time they didn’t confirm that anything serious was going on, but it was obvious that they were close. The two have stayed largely undercover since, although they do provide occasional updates that indicate a growing relationship. The two have taken romantic trips to locations like Paris, and Heather also reportedly enjoys spending time with Tarek’s kids. Overall, the two seem well suited to one another. Both are clearly ambitious with their real-estate careers, and they also share the experience of being on reality TV.
Tarek and Christina’s History
At their start, Tarek and Christina were just a young, broke couple trying to start their lives. They were both involved in real estate, but business was a struggle. It wasn’t until they submitted a video to HGTV that they saw more success. HGTV hired them as the subject of a new show, Flip or Flop. The premise of the show is simple: Tarek and Christina buy ugly houses and then transform them for sale. The magic of the show is in just how dramatic those transformations tend to be. Christina and Tarek take a run-down house in shambles, and turn it into the nicest home on the block.
Adding to the drama is the fact that the houses often come with unexpected costs. Throughout the show’s history, many of the couple’s projects required huge purchases like updates to the foundation, AC, and roof. It’s not uncommon to see a renovation price upwards of $80,000 for some of the houses. Of course, there are other elements of the show that make it enjoyable. Favorite contractors on the show have included Jeff Lawrence, Frank Miller, and Israel Battres. They’ve flipped plenty of houses with the couple, and even became friends. In fact, Israel Battres and his wife even showed up to Christiana’s surprise wedding to Ant. He also features occasionally on her show, Christina on the Coast.
A Relationship on the Rocks
From the beginning, it was clear that Tarek and Christiana weren’t always on the same page. On the show, they were routinely put into high stress situations, with large amounts of money on the line. Although they always reached an agreement on issues, communication wasn’t easy. Problems became more apparent as the show progressed, and they came to a head when Tarek received his cancer diagnosis. Tarek was famously diagnosed by a medical professional who was also a fan. She noticed some physical symptoms that Tarek was showing, and contacted the show.
Cancer was obviously difficult for the couple, as it would be for anyone. They’ve kept quiet about many of the details, but it’s clear that their relationship changed as a result. Luckily, the couple still seems to be on amicable terms. Despite the divorce, both agreed to do a brand-new season of Flip or Flop. Although the two are no longer married, they still buy and renovate houses together for the show. Though they didn’t work out romantically, they’re still good business partners. They also know that they can depend on one another to make effective choices on their renovations. They also have two young children together, so it was important for them to remain cooperative.
Moving Forward
It’s clear that both Christina and Tarek are interested in putting the past behind them. Both of them have moved on to new, happy relationships. They’ve also established their own individual television careers. Christina is working on more seasons of her show, Christina on the Coast. Meanwhile, Tarek’s new show, Flipping 101, is set to premiere in 2020. Both of their new partners also have television shows. Ant Anstead is currently a host for MotorTrend, and has hosted other shows in the past. Heather has also been a public figure for years, with her most recent project being the Netflix show, Selling Sunset. It can’t be easy for both couples to balance kids and multiple television shows. Their relationships are definitely complicated; however, it seems that they are all committed to making it work. For the most part, fans of Christina and Tarek are happy that the pair is still doing well. Like the couple, they’re excited to move forward, rather than focusing on the past.
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