Christina Haack is opening up about the challenges of filming her upcoming series, The Flip Off, alongside her ex, Josh Hall.
The 41-year-old HGTV star shared with Entertainment Tonight that working on the show — which also features her ex-husband Tarek El Moussa and his wife Heather Rae El Moussa — was particularly difficult given her recent split from Hall earlier this year.
“When someone is insecure by you and doesn’t like to watch you win, that really puts a damper on everything,” Haack told the outlet. “I feel like I was not shining as bright, to try to not make him feel emasculated. But who wants to live like that?”
Reflecting on the experience, she added, “It was not fun, to be honest. I did not enjoy filming with him, so having split up made this, to be honest, so much easier and so much better in every way.”
Haack revealed that Hall’s early departure from the show after their breakup ultimately made production smoother, saying that if he had stayed, it “would have been hard to film.”
She also addressed Hall’s alleged “jealousy” over her relationship with Tarek, with whom she shares two children: Taylor, 13, and Brayden, 8. “[Hall] doesn’t like our dynamic, because Tarek and I have our own dynamic, and some could call it ‘flirty,’” Haack explained. “… For me, it’s like a sibling type of thing.”
Haack noted that her breakup with Hall wasn’t surprising to Tarek, as she had confided in him about the struggles in her marriage for at least a year, if not longer.
Tarek also spoke to ET about the changes he noticed in Haack during filming. “At the beginning, she was going through it, you know, but she recovers really quick,” he said. “You can just tell, her energy’s back. She’s happy. She’s excited about life, like, she’s doing good.”
Speculation arose about whether Haack’s other ex, Ant Anstead, might join the series following Hall’s exit. When asked about the possibility, Tarek hinted, “I think you will.”
Hall filed for divorce from Haack on July 15 after nearly three years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences” and requesting spousal support. In her response, Haack asked that neither party be granted spousal support.
After filing for divorce, Hall addressed the separation on Instagram, saying, “I prefer privacy, especially during something as life-changing as a divorce I did not ask for.” He added, “I will not publicly badmouth anyone as people have families, friends and others who respect and love them.”
The Flip Off is scheduled to premiere in 2025.
