Holiday cheer! Ant Anstead gave fans a glimpse of how he celebrated Christmas with son Hudson following his custody battle with ex-wife Christina Hall (née Haack).
“What a simply INCREDIBLE week of adventures back in Blighty!” the Wheeler Dealers star, 43, captioned a carousel of family photos via Instagram on Tuesday, January 3. “Hudzo and I spent Christmas morning on the sandy beach of Laguna then the rest of Christmas Day on a flight to the UK!! His first time ever out the US. Which immediately called for us to get cosy clothes on for a muddy boots woodland walk with @amelieanstead & @archoanstead the perfect week x.”
In one snap, Anstead was seen taking a stroll with his eldest children — Amelie, 19, and Archie, 16, whom he shares with ex-wife Louise Anstead — and Hudson. The 3-year-old donned a blue vest over a flannel shirt and posed in front of his big brother.
The British TV personality also shared a clip of Hudson playing on a moving walkway in the airport and admiring the planes on the tarmac. Another sweet photo showed Ant’s sons holding hands on their hike.
As the holiday vacation continued, the proud father explored London with his kids, uploading a few Instagram photos of them taking the tube. “London is the best city on the planet…… it’s that simple!” he gushed on Tuesday.
The Celebrity IOU Joyride star’s visit overseas came nearly one month after Us Weekly confirmed that he and Hall, 39, settled their messy custody dispute. The former couple called it quits in September 2020 and finalized their divorce the following June, but they remained at odds when it came to coparenting Hudson.
In April 2022, Ant filed for full custody of the duo’s son, claiming that the Christina on the Coast star only spent an average of “nine full days each month” with Hudson in nearly two years. Hall told Us in a statement at the time that she was “deeply” saddened by the accusations. (The HGTV star is also the mother of daughter Taylor, 12, and Brayden, 7, with ex-husband Tarek El Moussa.)
The Cops and Robbers author went on to allege that Hall was “exploiting” Hudson by sharing photos via social media and including the little one in paid content. She fired back in a September 2022 court filing, arguing that Ant’s claims were “truly offensive and simply untrue.”
Hall frequently defended her social media habits before the pair reached their custody settlement. When a fan questioned why Ant was still choosing to share pictures of Hudson — despite slamming his ex for doing the same — he clarified his perspective.
“It’s actually an interesting legal anomaly that I am seeking to change. … Hudson will see a father protecting him when he had no voice, his childhood is not for sale,” the U.K. native wrote in an October 2022 Instagram comment. “As a parent, I have no worry in shouldering the cost to protect him.”
The coparents have continued to document sweet moments with Hudson despite their disagreements. Both Ant and the Wellness Remodel author, who wed Joshua Hall last year, shared glimpses of their holiday adventures with their son before ringing in 2023. (Per the pair’s custody arrangement, Hudson spends Thanksgiving and Christmas with his mom during even-numbered years and with Ant on odd-numbered years.)
Scroll down to see more from Hudson’s first U.K. visit: