English TV presenter Ant Anstead made some strong statements against his ex-wife, Christina Haack, involving the couple’s 3-year-old son Hudson being “exploited” in television and promotions.
The 43-year-old former “Wheeler Dealers” host made the comments in a court declaration obtained by US Weekly. As the publication reported, Anstead claimed his ex-wife “has already exploited” the toddler by being on camera while filming her upcoming reality show.
“The risks for a child working on a television production set (even if that ‘set’ is Christina’s home) are innumerable and well documented,” the documents said.
“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.”
“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,” it continued.
Next, the dad of three mentioned his fear that Hudson’s involvement could have dire consequences. He referenced TLC star Kailia Posey, who died by suicide earlier this year, as a cautionary tale.
“One of my many fears of Hudson being forced to film reality TV is the possibility that public ridicule over seemingly benign content becomes insurmountably humiliating,” Anstead shared in the document. “I urge the courts to review the recent and tragic case of Kailia Posey and a defining embarrassing meme.”
The publication noted how Anstead requested full custody of Hudson earlier this year. Meanwhile, Haack denied all allegations of potential harm from their child being on camera.
“What Ant is doing deeply saddens me. If this was really about Hudson, as he says, this should have been handled privately with a private judge or mediation, as myself and my attorney have suggested,” she said in a statement.
“I have never exploited our son Hudson,” Haack refuted in court documents obtained by Page Six. “He appeared in a few of my own Instagram ads that each took less than 5 minutes to film. I have all the footage and they were all fun activities that he enjoyed doing, such as playing with toys or making cookies.”
She continued, saying “nothing was forced” while filming.
The 39-year-old former HGTV star further stated, “[Anstead’s] declaration makes it clear that he is only interested in smearing me publicly.”