Christina Anstead Felt ‘Lonely and Unhappy’ Before Divorce: Source
Christina and Ant Anstead were having trouble navigating life with their blended families before she announced their split, a source tells PEOPLE.
The Christina on the Coast star, 37, revealed last Friday on Instagram that she and her British TV presenter husband of less than two years were separating. But the couple had been struggling with their relationship for a year — since the birth of their son Hudson, 1, in September 2019, according to a source.
Video: Anstead says crew had to ‘figure out’ how to film show amid pandemic
“After the baby, they started having conflicts,” the source says. In addition to Hudson, Christina shares daughter Taylor, 10, and son Brayden, 5, with ex Tarek El Moussa and Ant has Amelie, 16, and Archie, 14, with his ex-wife Louise Herbert.
Despite her full house, the source says, the designer was left feeling “lonely and unhappy” with her home life. “Christina found it difficult to balance everything” and “their marriage was struggling.”
RELATED: Ant Anstead Praised 'Your Beautiful Mummy' in Birthday Post for Son Before Split from Christina
While the news of their split comes as a shock for HGTV fans (she also appears alongside El Moussa on Flip or Flop), Christina is remaining optimistic about her future. “She never expected to get a divorce,” the source says. “But she is doing okay and focusing on the kids.”
WATCH THIS: Christina Anstead and Husband Ant Split After Less Than 2 Years of Marriage
Christina and Ant started dating in October 2017, nearly a year after she split publicly from Tarek. They married in a surprise winter wonderland-theme wedding in the backyard of their Newport Beach, California, in December 2019.
RELATED: From Secret Romance to Shocking Split: A Timeline of Christina and Ant Anstead's Relationship
On Friday, September 18, Christina announced they had split on her Instagram.
"Ant and I have made the difficult decision to separate. We are grateful for each other and as always, our children will remain our priority," she wrote. "We appreciate your support and ask for privacy for us and our family as we navigate the future."
