They’re putting on a good front, or at least trying, but Tarek and Christina El Moussa are “desperately trying” to launch their own solo careers.
According to reports, the Flip or Flop stars are “terrified” their TV careers are over and are pulling out all the stops to ensure they survive.
Even if the marriage that helped launch said careers is kaput.
While Christina El Moussa dating Gary Anderson quietly and insisting everything is fine with estranged ex Tarek, we’re not so certain.
Tarek El Moussa has dropped Christina from his real estate business amid their split, recently rebranding his agency Tarek and Associates.
Christina, 33, is also pursuing her own career goals, but according to Hollywood Life, there probably going to be an adjustment period.
“Unfortunately, they are terrified of going back to ‘civilian’ life off TV,” a source said, and that isn’t exclusive to the female Flip or Flop star.
“Christina loves being on TV and wants to parlay Flip Or Flop into a bigger career in front of the camera,” says the insider.
As for El Moussa’s soon-to-be-ex-better half?
“Tarek’s also about the perks that come with being a TV star,” says the insider, though Tarek’s enjoyment of that is somewhat different.
“He loves the attention he gets from women.”
Despite the fact that his partnership with Christina is at the crux of Flip or Flop, Tarek’s actions prove he’s ready to move on from her.
Both professionally and personally.
He’s reportedly circulating ads in Orange County, California with only his picture and information on it, and has started working with Sotheby’s.
In other words, she can say filming Flip or Flop with Tarek is great and put on a good front on Instagram, but that facade is crumbling.
Everyone who knows them knows.
“Tarek and Christina were definitely putting on a show for the public,” an eyewitness dished after the El Moussas’ first post-split appearance.
“When the cameras weren’t pointed at them the smiles dropped and there was [a lot of] tension between them,” one source explained.
“They did not look happy to be together, at all.”
“It’s clear they’re just going through the motions in an attempt to save their show,” and the likelihood of that remains uncertain at best.
If so, Christina’s going through them well.
She shared a candid shot of the crew, including her ex Tarek, on February 15, gushing about the whole team effort that is Flip or Flop.
“I’ve never met a group of more positive, fun-loving, funny … all around amazing guys,” writes the HGTV star and mother of two.
“Filming 7 seasons of #FlipOrFlop has been a breeze because of them. I <3 each and every one of you,” Christina added in the caption.
Again, it’s not fooling anyone close to her.
In Touch claims that Christina cheated on Tarek with Anderson, and that she may have been spotted with Gary before anyone knew about it.
The celebrity gossip publication alleges that Tarek caught her sending explicit text messages to the contractor, once employed by the couple.
In the fight that ensued – which led to a 911 call and, months later, TMZ knowing about it, Tarek reportedly pulled a gun on his spouse.
They both chalked this up to a misunderstanding, with Tarek surrendering all (legal) weapons to the cops and no criminal charges filed.
Still, it was never the same between them after that, and allegedly, Tarek made a habit of demeaning his wife in front of the whole crew.
“When she said the wrong thing and they had to do a retake, he got pissed. He often made her cry,” an HGTV insider told the magazine.
“Tarek found humor in humiliating his wife in repeated verbal attacks,” one source close to production claims, and it was bad … really bad.
“Some of his bad behavior was even caught on camera [in footage that never aired]. Tarek called Christina a ‘whore’ on set many times.”
There is even a claim that Tarek threatened to rape Christina within earshot of people working on Flip or Flop, which is just horrifying.
We hope that’s not true and that they really can work through whatever issues they have for the sake of their young son and daughter.
