Christina El Moussa went head-to-head with Tarek El Moussa this morning.
Both halves of the estranged couple – who still hosts Flip or Flop on HGTV together, despite their December divorce filing – appeared on quasi news programs, speaking for the first time publicly about their split.
Christina, for instance, appeared as a guest on Good Morning America, generally referring to the tabloid chatter that’s been surrounding the reality stars of late and saying:
“There’s a lot of false stories and a lot of hype, but in the end we’re just normal, nice people who just want to be the best parents and coworkers that we can be.”
Tarek and Christina are parents to an 18-month old named Brayden and a six-year old named Taylor.
Speaking to The Today Show, Tarek reiterated the former couple’s commitment to their kids.
“We have to make sure we remain friendly because we have to make sure they have good parents,” Tarek says in the following clip:
Christina, meanwhile, is also featured on the cover of this week’s People Magazine.
She goes into detail about her and Tarek’s break-up for the first time within this issue’s pages.
“Like any couple, we had our share of issues,” Christina tells the publication. “But we went through a lot in a short amount of time.”
She and Tarek separated in May following a scary incident that involved an argument, a gun and the police.
The news of their separation went public a few months later, at which time they issued a joint statement that made it seem as if they were on solid terms.
“Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage,” the pair said in December, adding:
“We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution. There was no violence and no charges were filed.”
Flip or Flop launched on HGTV in 2013.
Not long afterward, Tarek learned he had thyroid cancer.
As he went through radiation treatment, Christina also started a difficult struggle to get pregnant via in vitro fertilization and suffered a miscarriage in 2014.
Little Brayden was then born, and Christina returned to work just four weeks later.
“It was too soon for me,” she tells People.
“I was overwhelmed. The tension between me and Tarek was high. “We weren’t able to properly communicate anymore. It got to the point where we weren’t even driving to set together.”
By the time the El Moussas confirmed their split to the public, they had been living apart for six months.
So the announcement felt like a “weight” had been lifted off Christina, she says.
What about talk that she’s now sleeping with Gary Anderson, the family’s ex-contractor?
“Tarek and I don’t discuss each other’s personal lives,” she says.
“It is what it is and we are going through a divorce and eventually we will be dating other people. I’m happy for him and whatever steps he takes in his life and I just hope he’s happy.”
As for the most important people in all this? The stars’ two young children? Says Christina:
“Our kids are amazing … Our kids are transitioning well.
“Tarek and I are friends and we have a lot of support from our family. The kids are doing great.”
For more from Christina on how she’s dealing with divorce in the spotlight, co-parenting and still working with her ex, Tarek, pick up this week’s issue of People.
It will be available on newsstands Friday.