Amid Ant Anstead and ex-wife Christina Hall (née Haack)’s ongoing custody battle regarding son Hudson, the England native is enjoying seeing his toddler hang out with his grandparents.
“Covid lockdown was hard on everyone. Finally the world is getting back to normal, which means… my parents made it to America! 
,” Anstead, 43, captioned a Thursday, October 13, Instagram photo with his father and Hudson, 2. “That’s basically code for Nanna & Gramps spoiling Hudzo, tons of mum’s home cooking and my laundry gets done for me 
. It also means sunsets and evening walks for dinner. Table for five.”
The Wheeler Dealers alum’s post comes weeks after he criticized the Flip or Flop personality, 39, for using Hudson’s likeness in her social media advertisements. Anstead’s Instagram followers were subsequently confused to see that the California resident was able to share photos of Hudson while Hall was not allowed to.
“It’s actually an interesting legal anomaly that I am seeking to change. While Coogan’s law protects kids it doesn’t cover ‘reality’ TV or social media,” the For the Love of Cars alum — who’s been dating Renee Zellweger since June 2021 — wrote via Instagram comment, referring to the California law that requires a portion of child actors’ earnings to be set aside in a protected trust account. “I’ve been working on a secret project that dives into this.”
He added in a second comment: “Hudson will see a father protecting him when he had no voice, his childhood is not for sale. … As a parent, I have no worry in shouldering the cost to protect him.”
Us Weekly confirmed last month that the Celebrity IOU: Joyride host filed a new declaration amid his and Hall’s custody dispute, alleging that Hudson’s involvement in the HGTV star’s Instagram ads and TV programs were detrimental to his well-being.
“The risks for a child working on a television production set (even if that ‘set’ is Christina’s home) are innumerable and well documented,” Anstead — who shares two older children with ex-wife Louise Storey — wrote in the September court documents. “Putting aside the obvious pressures of working within a TV production environment, children involved in television production often have lingering issues that affect their welfare, worldview, and self-image, leaving them diminished and dependent upon the perceived approval of others for their self-worth.”
He continued: “It is my goal to ensure that Hudson is allowed a childhood that is joyful, healthy, and natural, with as few stresses as possible, and this should be prioritized above creating commercial opportunity and content.”
The Wellness Remodel author — who also shares daughter Taylor, 12, and son Brayden, 7, with ex-husband Tarek El Moussa — denied Anstead’s claims in her own court filing.
“The allegation that I am ‘exploiting’ our son is truly offensive and simply untrue,” she wrote in her declaration. “After seeing what Ant has written in his Supplemental Declaration it is clear that his motivation is not Hudson’s best interest. The allegation that I am ‘exploiting’ our son is truly offensive and simply untrue. After seeing what Ant has written in his Supplemental Declaration it is clear that his motivation is not Hudson’s best interest.”
While the twosome — who finalized their divorce in June 2021 — have been unable to reach an agreement regarding Hudson’s custody, Hall announced earlier this month that she would no longer showcase the toddler on her Instagram page.
“I am mentally exhausted over the recent false accusations against me,” the Christina on the Coast star — who married Joshua Hall in April — wrote on October 2. “Hudson’s father has made attempts to turn my family, friends and fans against me through manipulation tactics and false information. This has had great impact on me and my household. Because of this, I have made the decision to no longer feature Hudson on Instagram, my tv shows or any social platforms until he is old enough to make this decision for himself.”
She added: “I have always been fine not having Hudson appear on public platforms and have made that clear. My only reason for wanting him to appear on my shows, has always been to participate in the fun activities/outings with our family/siblings.”
