Flip or Flop stars Tarek El Moussa and Christina El Moussa have been living apart and dating other people for months despite just announcing their separation on Monday.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
In addition, Tarek, 35, and Christina, 33, have been trying to move on since then and are actively dating other people.
"We have both dated other people following the separation, but neither of us is ready to announce anything in terms of another relationship," the pair told People in a statement.
The house flippers cited "challenges" in their marriage as the explanation for their separation as well as the incident from six months ago in which Tarek allegedly jumped their home's backyard fence and ran off into a state park with a gun -- prompting police to storm the scene after receiving a call about a "possibly suicidal male," according to TMZ. Witnesses saw Christina "crying and shaking" over her husband's behavior.
Despite the couple's subsequent claims that Tarek was just going for a hike and took the gun "for protection from mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and rattlesnakes," a source told People that Christina left her husband to live with their children's nanny after the alleged "misunderstanding." Tarek reportedly moved out a month later when his family returned to the house.
Christina has since been taking care of Taylor, 6, and Brayden, 1, while Tarek allegedly spends several days a week with the kids.
The source also revealed Christina's friendship with a fellow design industry professional has turned romantic. Infidelity, however, was reportedly not at the core of the married couple's breakup, nor was Tarek's gun incident.
Tarek and Christina -- who are currently still filming Flip or Flop for HGTV and releasing a book Flip Your Life in March -- maintain they will continue working together and have no desire to split up their many businesses.
"We plan to continue our professional life together by being professional, by doing our jobs well, by being prepared and by working hard," the couple told the magazine.
According to the couple, a divorce also isn't currently in the plans.
"The most difficult part of the decision to separate was the kids. We want the best for them, and we're doing everything we can to ensure that. We hope that we can get to a better place and that our kids will continue to be as well-adjusted, bright and loving as they are now," the pair added.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
