Ant Anstead has called those questioning the status of his four-year relationship with Renée Zellweger “disrespectful”, after he was caught crashing at a spin instructor’s home. However, fans have been left wondering if there may be a sprinkle of truth to reports the actress and her long-time love have hit a rough patch.
According to the Daily Mail, Anstead, 46, has recently been spotted quite regularly at the Laguna Beach home of newly divorced fitness instructor Julia French. The pair are reportedly pals, having connected through their children.
“One of her kids goes to the same school as [Anstead’s son] Hudson,” a source explained to the publication. “When Ant’s working late or needs childcare, Hudson goes back with Jules’ kids. Then in the evening Ant picks Hudson up.”
So when Anstead moved out of his nearby rental, French reportedly offered up a place to stay. “He moved into the apartment above the garage at Jules’ place,” the source continued. “He’s trying to find another rental place. But for now, he’s got stuff in storage and he’s got a lot of stuff with Jules.”
While the source added that Anstead and French share a “flirtatious friendship”, a representative for the British television presenter and vehicle enthusiast was quick to shut down any speculation that his relationship with Zellweger, 56, is on the rocks. The rep told People magazine that Anstead simply “stayed just a handful of days in Julia French’s separate, and detached, guest house”, adding, “They have been long-time friends with similar aged children within a circle of local Laguna Beach friends.”
In a case of ‘nothing to see here’, Anstead’s rep insisted that he had been “spending the majority of his time working in the UK”, while Zellweger continues to shoot Only Murders in the Building in New York City. What’s more, they assured fans the pair “remain in a cherished relationship that they ask to keep private”.
Denial aside, things aren’t looking great for Anstead in general. According to Yahoo! Entertainment, the reality star is also dancing with financial ruin via his crumbling car business, Radford Motors, which filed for bankruptcy last October. Anstead’s legal woes are also starting to mount, with his company currently facing three separate lawsuits from customers who have accused it of fraud and breaking contracts.
With the situation clearly spiralling, it’s no wonder Zellweger is reportedly keeping Anstead at arm’s length. After four years of dating, it would seem like the inevitable next step the pair would take would be to move in together, but another insider notes the actress continues to be wary of taking things to the next level.
“Renée currently has a rental in Laguna. When Ant lost his rental, the obvious thing would have been for him to move into the rental with Renée. But she doesn’t want them cohabiting, so he has to find his own place to stay,” the source told the Daily Mail. “That’s kind of how the relationship works.”
Despite the couple being yet to take the plunge, Zellweger has made every effort to keep their romance alive. Earlier this year, she gave insight into their relationship while on the press tour for her fourth Bridget Jones film, Mad About the Boy.
“I live in Southern California, near San Diego,” she told co-star Hugh Grant during a joint interview for British Vogue. When Grant probed, “Why?”, a super-private Zellweger made a surprise mention of Anstead and his youngest child, Hudson, who he shares with ex-wife Christina Haack. “Because that’s where my fellow lives, and his little boy.”
And while the actress has remained tight-lipped about their current status in regard to recent rumours, fans are hoping the previously unlucky-in-love star and her beau are in it for the long haul. “She deserves happiness,” remarked one fan online.
