Awkward Tarek El Moussa & Christina Hall Moments Post-Divorce

Christina Hall and Tarek El Moussa's marriage ended after a 9-1-1 call in 2016, and some HGTV fans probably found it shocking that the exes continued working together when they learned the details about that incident. Because the couple had to maintain both a professional and a co-parenting relationship, fans witnessed several cringe-inducing moments between the pair.

In an interview with E! News, El Moussa explained that he wasn't thinking rationally on the fateful day he left his home with a gun in hand. He blamed the mental health issues he was struggling with at the time and the testosterone he was taking. Hall feared that he was suicidal and contacted the authorities, but according to Us Weekly, El Moussa said that he took the weapon with him for protection from dangerous wildlife. Seven months after the incident, he and Hall announced that they were separating.

The exes decided to invite awkwardness into their lives by continuing to film their HGTV series "Flip or Flop" after their split. "For us to just throw it all away just wasn't worth it," El Moussa explained in a 2018 "Today" interview. He and Hall were also asked a rather morbid question: If they ever felt the desire to kill one another during filming. Hall laughingly confirmed that she did, while El Moussa quipped, "The question is, are there days when I don't want to kill her?" The tension was palpable between the pair on post-divorce episodes of their show, and the uncomfortable exchanges didn't stop after it ended.

Tarek El Moussa admitted to harboring a lot of fury toward Christina Hall for a long time after their split, so from the sounds of it, continuing to film together probably wasn't the best idea. "I was upset that she left me. She was upset that I acted the way I acted. We still had to work together. It took a big toll on our family," El Moussa told E! News. Before the exes filmed their first episodes as a divorced couple, the TMZ newsroom had a field day dissecting a December 2019 video of the pair sharing a stiff embrace, and some whispered words. The consensus was that they were faking civility for the cameras.

Although she and El Moussa were being amicable, Hall told People in February 2017, "Tarek and I don't discuss each other's personal lives." She wasn't dating anyone at the time but was in a relationship with future ex-husband Ant Anstead when she and her ex resumed shooting "Flip or Flop" in 2018. Despite seemingly being happy with her new partner, she couldn't resist prying into El Moussa's love life. In one episode of the show, she discovered that he had a date and inquired about the woman's appearance. Upon learning her hair color, Hall quipped, "I thought you didn't like blondes anymore." 

Hall also wanted to know how much El Moussa had spent on his date. "Why do you even care?" he fired back. He also said that he disliked his ex making jokes about his dates. 

In 2021, TMZ reported that Tarek El Moussa exploded in anger at Christina Hall while filming "Flip or Flop." A source claimed that Tarek called his ex a "washed-up loser" who owed all her success to him. He also reportedly told her that she wasn't as attractive or wealthy as the woman who would become his wife, "Selling Sunset" star Heather Rae El Moussa (née Young). An eyewitness said that Tarek concluded his angry outburst with the words, "The world knows you're crazy!"

Per TMZ, Tarek had seen Hall's social media post about smoking the venom of a Bufo toad. This purportedly triggered his unprofessional behavior because he didn't like the idea of Hall doing drugs while caring for the two children that the exes share: daughter Taylor and son Brayden.

According to Business Insider, Heather got a bit shady during the "Selling Sunset" reunion in 2022 when the topic of Tarek's rumored temper flare-up came up. "Did he really say you're a hotter, richer version of his ex-wife?" host Tan France asked her. She replied, "Well, I mean," before seemingly fishing for her co-stars to agree with the compliment to her that doubled as a diss to Hall. Tarek never confirmed what exactly was said, but he did tell E!'s "Daily Pop" (via Page Six), "It can be stressful working with an ex and we did have an incident where some choice words were said on both sides and I'm sure we both wish the whole thing never happened."

In the 2018 "Flip or Flop" episode "Tri-Level Flip," Christina Hall grew frustrated with Tarek El Moussa for throwing cold water on many of her design ideas. After she lost an argument over how to update the fireplace, Hall said in a confessional, "At this point, I'm just agreeing with Tarek because I'm super frustrated. I need to cool down before I snap." Unfortunately, Tarek didn't give her very much time to regain her composure. After another disagreement over what to do to the exterior walls around the front door, Hall stormed off. She later confronted El Moussa and had a suggestion for why he was being such a contrarian. "Is it because I have a boyfriend?" she asked. Tarek assured her that her relationship with Ant Anstead was unrelated to his pushback. "In the future, we'll slow it down, work together," he promised his ex.

In the series finale of "Flip or Flop," it was El Moussa who walked away from Hall when she started suggesting ways to refurbish a pool. He shot down all of her ideas with brevity. During the episode, Hall blindsided El Moussa by sharing her plan to quit the show, and she also revealed that how he treated her had played into her decision. "I'm tired of constantly having to sell Tarek on my ideas," she said. While she understood that he was often just concerned about going over-budget, she added, "It's more gratifying for me to design for someone who's personally investing in their home than it is to do these flips."

In May 2022, the Daily Mail published photos taken during one of Brayden El Moussa's soccer games. His parents were in attendance, as were his stepmother and stepfather. At one point, Heather El Moussa approached Christina Hall, who was sitting with a small group of people that included her then-husband, Josh Hall. Whatever Heather said was apparently not cordial, as Tarek El Moussa had to grab her arm and lead her away. Tarek and Josh also reportedly got into a confrontation with each other, and it was Brayden's coach who de-escalated that situation. Through a rep, Christina shared a statement with Us Weekly that read, "A personal matter was discussed and has since been resolved. We are focused on coparenting as a team moving forward."

Not long after the soccer field incident, Brayden had to undergo emergency surgery to have his appendix and Meckel's diverticulum removed. This put things in perspective for Christina, who wrote on her Instagram Story (via the Daily Mail), "Sometimes a scary situation can be a good wake up call. In the end all the other stuff is just 'noise,' what matters is the kids."

A few months later, Heather admitted to "Today" that her relationship with Christina hadn't always been rosy. She also shared that it hadn't been easy for her to get comfortable in her relationship with Tarek due to Christina being such a major part of his past and present. "I'm a very happy, positive person, but I felt like I was always second ... you always kind of think of the ex," she said. "For me, I did."

Before HGTV fans knew that Tarek El Moussa, Heather El Moussa, Christina Hall, and Josh Hall had a new show in the works, three of the parties appeared together in a video that divided fans. In it, Christina and Heather rock matching outfits and hairstyles. They pretend to get their names confused and blame their blond dye jobs for scrambling their brains. The camera then pans to Tarek, who says, "Well, I guess it is confusing."

Some Instagrammers commended the trio for having a great sense of humor and getting along so well, while others found the video difficult to stomach. "This is so weird," one person wrote. Another commented, "All about publicity." They weren't wrong. Christina later told "Today" that the video was a promo for a new HGTV series called "The Flip Off." The plan was for her and Josh to compete against Heather and Tarek in a battle to see who could profit the most from a renovated property. Christina, Tarek, and Heather filmed a few other silly videos, including one where Tarek reveals that his phone's background is a paparazzi pic of Heather and Christina's soccer altercation. In another promo, Heather fake-slaps Tarek after he pretends to mistake Christina for her.

The most awkward video came after Christina and Josh announced their divorce, which resulted in Josh being omitted from the show's cast. As the Garfunkel and Oates song "You, Me and Steve" played, Christina assumed the role of Steve by popping up behind Heather and Tarek, who were holding hands.