Latest news with #AntAnstead
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The British Wheeler Dealer who ended up dating Hollywood royalty
After making four Bridget Jones films, Renée Zellweger has admitted that she became an Anglophile. The Oscar-winning actress, 56, has spoken about her love of English breakfast tea, the London Underground and mushy peas. She even has a British boyfriend – a former British bobby turned footballer-turned-car mechanic, no less. Meet Ant Anstead – a quintessentially British bloke from Hertfordshire who's now dating Hollywood royalty. Anstead has been in a relationship with Zellweger since 2021 and is best known for presenting the TV show Wheeler Dealers. But after rumours of an engagement in January, there's now speculation that they're no longer living together amid his alleged money troubles. So who is this self-described 'British Boy who builds'? And how did he come to date one of the world's most famous women? Anthony Anstead was born in Cambridge in 1978 but grew up in Hertfordshire. As a car-mad teen, he was already building and selling kit cars when he was still at school and used the profits to buy himself an MG. At 18, he became a police officer with the Hertfordshire Constabulary and guarded the notorious 'Railway Murderer', John Duffy, in a police safehouse. At 22, he was made one of the youngest Tactical Firearms Team officers in the country, receiving two commendations for acts of bravery. But, in 2005, he resigned from the police force to pursue a career as a mechanic, building and restoring cars for private clients. In his free time he was a semi-professional footballer, playing over 700 games over 17 years at Ryman League (now known as Isthmian League) level, as both a goalkeeper and a striker. He started his own TV company in 2014 and hosted a number of motoring shows for Channel 4 and the BBC, and appeared on stage at some of the UK's biggest car shows. He met Mike Brewer, who would become his Wheeler Dealers co-host, when they were both presenting classic car shows at the National Exhibition Centre (which hosts the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show among others). 'Ant's an incredible presenter and car builder, he really knows his stuff,' says Brewer, who bought the used cars for the show for Anstead to fix up. 'When we moved Wheeler Dealers to the US in 2017, [former show mechanic] Edd China wanted to go back to the UK so I pushed for Ant to join the show. I knew he'd be amazing.' Before he moved to California, Anstead and his first wife – Louise Herbert – divorced. The couple had been dating since he was 19 and they have two children together, Amelie, 21, and Archie, 18. 'We spent 22 years together from teenagers to adults, and to this day remain very close friends and we stay in regular contact. Almost daily,' said Anstead. 'We have two amazing kids together who we are incredibly proud of and we will forever be family. I wish them a lifetime full of happiness.' In October 2017, Anstead began dating Christina Haack, an American TV presenter who specialises in property shows. They tied the knot a year later in a secret 'winter wonderland' wedding at their home in Newport Beach and their son, Hudson, was born in September 2019. But less than a year later, Haack announced that they had split. In 2021, Anstead's life took another twist when Zellweger was a guest on his US show Celebrity IOU Joyride. The premise of the series was for celebrities to fix up old cars and give them to important people in their lives, and the Bridget Jones' Diary star refurbished a 1970s Bronco and presented it to the twin brothers, Jerome and Jerald, who cared for her late publicist, Nanci Ryder, after she was diagnosed with ALS in 2014. 'I'm really grateful to the show because these amazing things happen in your world and sometimes when things collide, they collide at the most obscure times when you least expect them,' Anstead has said of meeting Zellweger. The new couple were seen spending the Fourth of July weekend together at Anstead's beach home in Laguna Beach, and in September, Anstead went 'Instagram official' with the movie star, sharing a black-and-white selfie of them looking loved-up. Although they largely kept out of the spotlight, they attended a few events together in the US. 'Renée and my relationship is something that's really private,' said Anstead. 'It's something I'm not really willing to talk too much about. It's really early in our relationship and I don't want to put any pressure on that.' But in November 2021, Anstead shared an Instagram photo of Zellweger holding his son Hudson at a New Orleans Saints football game. He has also shared photos of him and Zellweger kissing and sharing anniversaries together. Zellweger, who filed for an annulment from her country singer husband, Kenny Chesney, in September 2005 after four months of marriage, has been a little more cryptic. This year, she confirmed that she lives near San Diego 'because that's where my fellow lives, and his little boy'. However, there was no being coy in January 2025, when the couple posed for photos with Anstead's children, Amelie and Archie, at the London premiere of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. He posted a picture from the red carpet with the caption: 'Midweek movie night with the kiddos.... The Movie was absolutely utterly brilliant and the lead actress was mesmerising and smoking HOT (I have a mega crush on her!) I've let the missus know she's my hall pass..... X.' There was even speculation that the pair were engaged, after Zellweger, who is worth a reported £67 million, appeared at the premiere with plasters on her ring finger, possibly to cover up a ring. But the jury's out on whether he's a dependable Mark Darcy type or a cad like Daniel Cleaver. In May there were reports that Zellweger and Anstead had split up, after he was seen spending time at the cliff-top mansion of a divorced Laguna Beach spin instructor named Julia French. 'Sadly, the recent reports in the press are disrespectful and misleading,' Anstead's publicist says. '[Anstead] stayed just a handful of days in Julia French's separate, and detached, guest house. They have been long-time friends with similar aged children within a circle of local Laguna Beach friends.' Anstead might also be having money troubles, as his supercar company Radford Motors filed for Chapter Seven bankruptcy in a Delaware court in May. In recent months, he has faced a series of lawsuits from clients worth over £2 million. Anstead has said he remains 'fully committed' to the company despite its current 'challenges'. According to Anstead's publicist, he has been 'spending the majority of his time working in the UK', while Zellweger has been filming the TV show Only Murders in the Building in New York City. Mike Brewer says he's not surprised that his friend and co-host has ended up dating a Hollywood A-lister: 'He's a good looking guy and he's very charming,' he says. 'It was inevitable he'd hook up with somebody great, as people just gravitate towards him. Whatever the 'X factor' is, he's got it. Renée and Ant have a wonderful relationship. My wife and I meet up with them and hang out with them all the time.' According to Anstead's representative: 'Renée and Ant remain in a cherished relationship that they ask to keep private.' Maybe the Bridget Jones star will get her happily ever after, after all. 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Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The British Wheeler Dealer who ended up dating Hollywood royalty
After making four Bridget Jones films, Renée Zellweger has admitted that she became an Anglophile. The Oscar-winning actress, 56, has spoken about her love of English breakfast tea, the London Underground and mushy peas. She even has a British boyfriend – a former British bobby turned footballer-turned-car mechanic, no less. Meet Ant Anstead – a quintessentially British bloke from Hertfordshire who's now dating Hollywood royalty. Anstead has been in a relationship with Zellweger since 2021 and is best known for presenting the TV show Wheeler Dealers. But after rumours of an engagement in January, there's now speculation that they're no longer living together amid his alleged money troubles. So who is this self-described 'British Boy who builds'? And how did he come to date one of the world's most famous women? Anthony Anstead was born in Cambridge in 1978 but grew up in Hertfordshire. As a car-mad teen, he was already building and selling kit cars when he was still at school and used the profits to buy himself an MG. At 18, he became a police officer with the Hertfordshire Constabulary and guarded the notorious 'Railway Murderer', John Duffy, in a police safehouse. At 22, he was made one of the youngest Tactical Firearms Team officers in the country, receiving two commendations for acts of bravery. But, in 2005, he resigned from the police force to pursue a career as a mechanic, building and restoring cars for private clients. In his free time he was a semi-professional footballer, playing over 700 games over 17 years at Ryman League (now known as Isthmian League) level, as both a goalkeeper and a striker. He started his own TV company in 2014 and hosted a number of motoring shows for Channel 4 and the BBC, and appeared on stage at some of the UK's biggest car shows. He met Mike Brewer, who would become his Wheeler Dealers co-host, when they were both presenting classic car shows at the National Exhibition Centre (which hosts the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show among others). 'Ant's an incredible presenter and car builder, he really knows his stuff,' says Brewer, who bought the used cars for the show for Anstead to fix up. 'When we moved Wheeler Dealers to the US in 2017, [former show mechanic] Edd China wanted to go back to the UK so I pushed for Ant to join the show. I knew he'd be amazing.' Before he moved to California, Anstead and his first wife – Louise Herbert – divorced. The couple had been dating since he was 19 and they have two children together, Amelie, 21, and Archie, 18. 'We spent 22 years together from teenagers to adults, and to this day remain very close friends and we stay in regular contact. Almost daily,' said Anstead. 'We have two amazing kids together who we are incredibly proud of and we will forever be family. I wish them a lifetime full of happiness.' In October 2017, Anstead began dating Christina Haack, an American TV presenter who specialises in property shows. They tied the knot a year later in a secret 'winter wonderland' wedding at their home in Newport Beach and their son, Hudson, was born in September 2019. But less than a year later, Haack announced that they had split. In 2021, Anstead's life took another twist when Zellweger was a guest on his US show Celebrity IOU Joyride. The premise of the series was for celebrities to fix up old cars and give them to important people in their lives, and the Bridget Jones' Diary star refurbished a 1970s Bronco and presented it to the twin brothers, Jerome and Jerald, who cared for her late publicist, Nanci Ryder, after she was diagnosed with ALS in 2014. 'I'm really grateful to the show because these amazing things happen in your world and sometimes when things collide, they collide at the most obscure times when you least expect them,' Anstead has said of meeting Zellweger. The new couple were seen spending the Fourth of July weekend together at Anstead's beach home in Laguna Beach, and in September, Anstead went 'Instagram official' with the movie star, sharing a black-and-white selfie of them looking loved-up. Although they largely kept out of the spotlight, they attended a few events together in the US. 'Renée and my relationship is something that's really private,' said Anstead. 'It's something I'm not really willing to talk too much about. It's really early in our relationship and I don't want to put any pressure on that.' But in November 2021, Anstead shared an Instagram photo of Zellweger holding his son Hudson at a New Orleans Saints football game. He has also shared photos of him and Zellweger kissing and sharing anniversaries together. Zellweger, who filed for an annulment from her country singer husband, Kenny Chesney, in September 2005 after four months of marriage, has been a little more cryptic. This year, she confirmed that she lives near San Diego 'because that's where my fellow lives, and his little boy'. However, there was no being coy in January 2025, when the couple posed for photos with Anstead's children, Amelie and Archie, at the London premiere of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. He posted a picture from the red carpet with the caption: 'Midweek movie night with the kiddos.... The Movie was absolutely utterly brilliant and the lead actress was mesmerising and smoking HOT (I have a mega crush on her!) I've let the missus know she's my hall pass..... X.' There was even speculation that the pair were engaged, after Zellweger, who is worth a reported £67 million, appeared at the premiere with plasters on her ring finger, possibly to cover up a ring. In May there were reports that Zellweger and Anstead had split up, after he was seen spending time at the cliff-top mansion of a divorced Laguna Beach spin instructor named Julia French. 'Sadly, the recent reports in the press are disrespectful and misleading,' Anstead's publicist says. '[Anstead] stayed just a handful of days in Julia French's separate, and detached, guest house. They have been long-time friends with similar aged children within a circle of local Laguna Beach friends.' Anstead might also be having money troubles, as his supercar company Radford Motors he founded with Jenson Button filed for Chapter Seven bankruptcy in a Delaware court in April. In recent months, he has also faced a series of lawsuits alleging fraud and mismanagement, which were dismissed. Anstead has said he remains 'fully committed' to the company despite its current 'challenges'. According to Anstead's publicist, he has been 'spending the majority of his time working in the UK', while Zellweger has been filming the TV show Only Murders in the Building in New York City. Mike Brewer says he's not surprised that his friend and co-host has ended up dating a Hollywood A-lister: 'He's a good looking guy and he's very charming,' he says. 'It was inevitable he'd hook up with somebody great, as people just gravitate towards him. Whatever the 'X factor' is, he's got it. Renée and Ant have a wonderful relationship. My wife and I meet up with them and hang out with them all the time.' According to Anstead's representative: 'Mr Anstead and Miss Zellweger remain in a cherished four-year relationship that they ask to keep private.' Maybe the Bridget Jones star will get her happily ever after, after all.
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Renee Zellweger stuns as she leads the stars at Gotham Television Awards amid rumors about Ant Anstead romance
Renée Zellweger looked gorgeous in an off-the-shoulder black dress at Monday evening's 2025 Gotham Television Awards in New York City. The 56-year-old longtime actress — whom sources tell is living apart from boyfriend Ant Anstead, 46 — commanded attention in the form-fitting number, which cinched at the waist and fell to her ankles. She wore her blonde locks in a fuss-free updo that included a side part and face-framing loose strands at the front. Zellweger kept the look simple, opting for minimal accessories as she rounded out the outfit with pointy-toe black heels. Her wrinkle-free face was taut and glowing as she hit the red carpet in natural-looking makeup. The Bridget Jones's Diary star has been in the Big Apple filming the new season of Only Murders in the Building. Last month she was spotted working on a scene with fellow Hollywood vet Bobby Cannavale. During the mid-May shoot day Zellweger sported a ginger-toned bob hairstyle with a side part and flipped ends. Details regarding her OMITB character have been kept under wraps, but co-star/producer Selena Gomez recently shared photos from the production featuring Zellweger. Friends of the siren told in February that she has put the brakes on her relationship with Anstead, revealing she is not interested in marriage. 'Renée and Ant have been dating for over three years,' one insider said. 'She loves the relationship the way it is. 'She's seen so many couples, especially celebrities like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who have happily dated, only to split not long after getting married. 'Why would she risk rocking the boat and rushing to take her relationship with Ant to the next level?' Alec Baldwin, 67, and wife Hilaria Baldwin, 41, coordinated in shades of blue. Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria Baldwin coordinated in shades of blue Her co-star Leslie Bibb, 51, was also in attendance, arriving in a pale turquoise satin dress with a high collar Hilaria looked darling in a slinky, sleeveless, royal blue number with a flesh-baring cutout at the back. She showed off a fresh haircut featuring her brunette locks chopped into flattering face-framing bangs. Parker Posey, 56, was among the superstars at the awards show on Monday. The White Lotus actress wowed in a cream-colored dress with a plunging neckline and long, sheer, bell sleeves. The fashion-forward beauty added matching lacy gloves to the 60s-inspired look, which included a subtly ruffled hemline. Parker debuted a new look — a rust-hued hairstyle with a center part and curled ends. She added round, pink-tinted sunglasses and carried a chic handbag with a long chain that she gathered around her hand. Her costar Leslie Bibb, 51, was also in attendance, arriving in a pale turquoise satin dress with a high collar. And another White Lotus standout, 44-year-old Carrie Coon, looked exquisite in an off-the-shoulder white column gown. Sheryl Lee Ralph, 68, looked younger than her years in a little black dress with a side slit. Her halter neck look showed off her cleavage and she punctuated the timeless look with open-toe heels, revealing a white pedicure. She flashed her megawatt smile in a full face of glamorous makeup, and her dark locks were arranged in a center part and fluffy curls. Jenny Slate, 43, arrived in an eye-catching black dress featuring a short white shawl accoutrement. The It Ends With Us actress accentuated her trim waistline with the frock's corset bodice, which transitioned into a billowy skirt. Her jaw-length jet black locks were in a middle part with a natural tousled texture and one side tucked behind her ear. Severance star Britt Lower, 39, modeled a sleeveless white dress with thin black line accents. Her red hair was pulled into a sleek updo with short, side-swept bangs left out at the front. Also dressed in white was Netflix actress Lovie Simone, who stars in the streamer's hit coming-of-age series Forever. She posed for photos in a Versace gown with asymmetric straps, a thigh-high slit, and subtle ruching. The New York native complemented the getup with a bombshell hairstyle that was parted on the side and set in tight wand waves. Her old Hollywood glamour-inspired makeup was complete with a matte, berry-toned lip stain. Actress Justine Lupe looked great arriving in a delicate black slip dress with beaded accents throughout. The 36-year-old Nobody Wants This star wore her long, bright blonde locks loose, set in a middle part and slightly textured as they flowed down her back. Her makeup was flawlessly applied and featured fluttery lashes that made her blue eyes pop, and glossy pink lipstick. Meanwhile, YouTube sensation Cleo Abram, 32, turned heads in a two-toned green and black slip dress. The top half of the look boasted low-cut black lace while the lower half called attention with an emerald green skirt. She added pointy-toe black heels to pull the sultry getup together. Model Haley Kalil, 32, looked angelic in a flowing, low-cut white dress with stone detailing at the chest. Actress Rachel Brosnahan, 34, bared her long legs in a quirky black mini dress. The netted number boasted a thigh-length black skirt that swelled at her hips, creating an exaggerated silhouette. The sleeveless look teased a built-in black bra underneath, and the Superman star pulled her glossy, dark locks back for the occasion. Actress Madeline Brewer, 33, was fashion-forward in a green sleeveless dress with draped detail. The 2025 Gotham TV Awards ceremony, celebrating outstanding achievement in television, was held at Cipriani Wall Street. Crime series Adolescence led the nominations across three categories — Breakthrough Limited Series, Lead Performance in a Limited Series, and Supporting Performance in a Limited Series. AppleTV+'s The Studio took home the first award of the night for Breakthrough Comedy Series, per The Hollywood Reporter.
News.com.au
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Renée Zellweger and Ant Anstead shut down split rumours
On Thursday, editors at the Daily Mail claimed the Oscar-winning actress and TV personality had been "living apart for the past year". They also alleged Anstead has been staying at the home of Julia French in Laguna Beach, California while Zellweger films the upcoming season of Only Murders in the Building in New York City. A source claimed the Wheeler Dealers co-host had been living in an apartment on French's property since he moved out of his rental in April. However, a representative for Anstead later shut down the report.
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside Renée Zellweger's Bridget Jones curse: How unlucky-in-love star annulled her first marriage after just four months before a string of failed A-lister romances - as it's revealed she's 'living apart' from British toyboy
It's fair to say that Renée Zellweger has struggled to find her Mr Darcy - with her first marriage to Kenny Chesney annulled after just four months. But loyal fans of the 56-year-old Oscar winner had hoped she had finally broken her so-called Bridget Jones 'curse' after falling in love with British TV host Ant Anstead, who is ten years her junior. However, reported today that the Wheeler Dealers host and the A-lister have been living apart for the past year, after he was spotted staying overnight at the Laguna Beach home of divorcee and spin instructor Julia French, 36, while Renee filmed in New York. Anstead, who is facing bankruptcy for his car company and has seemingly been selling off his assets, has since pushed back against the speculation. 'Mr. Anstead is working mostly in the UK, and he has spent some of his limited time back in [Orange County] at his friend's home,' the TV presenter's representative told Page Six on Thursday. 'His friend Jules has a separate, detached guest house, and the suggestion that their relationship is anything other than platonic is unacceptable and untrue,' they added, before confirming that 'Mr. Anstead and Ms. Zellweger are still together.' The couple, who began dating in 2021 and are notoriously private about their relationship, have not been seen together in public since early March when they were snapped supporting Anstead's young son at a football game. If Renée's relationship is turning sour, it wouldn't be the first time that she's been unlucky in love, with the American actress mirroring her famous British character when it comes to both having frequent romantic struggles. Read below to explore the star's relationship history - from Bradley Cooper to Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey (1999-2000) Sparks flew between the actress and her co-star Jim Carrey on the set of their 1999 movie Me, Myself and Irene. After wrapping filming on the comedy, the pair began dating and attended the 2000 Golden Globes together. Despite the brief length of their relationship, he described her as the 'great love of' his life in his 2020 semi-fictional book, Memoirs and Misinformation. Two decades after calling it quits on their whirlwind romance, he also referred to his ex as someone 'very special' to him. 'I think she's lovely,' he said on The Howard Stern Show. While their film's director, Bobby Farrelly said that Carrey 'flipped for her immediately', she was hesitant to mix business and pleasure. At the time, she told CNN: 'I liked him, a lot, but you're not going (to the set) for the love connection... When the picture wrapped, we'd spoken a couple of times on the phone and then all those rumours came out that I was dating him. I was so mad.' After denying the rumours, she joked about getting home and thinking: 'God, I do miss him.' Ahead of their breakup, Renée proudly called their relationship 'a very unexpected, wonderful thing.' In the same interview with Entertainment Weekly, he gushed: 'She's a very connected person. She thinks having a good time is renting a U-Haul and taking furniture to Texas. She's real in that way and I absolutely love it.' Speaking about their relationship, Renée told The Guardian: 'We have business associates in common and a couple of mutual friends, so I'd known about him and said hello and things for a long time, and then met him a couple of years ago at a dinner party. So I'd known him for a while.' Despite speculation they were engaged during their one-year romance, she denied the claims to Cosmopolitan in 2003. 'I'd only been dating him for three months. As if I would consider marriage after only three months!' she mused. Jim was married to Melissa Womer from 1987 to 1995, and Lauren Holly for a year in 1996, and also dated Jenny McCarthy for five years until 2010. Jack White (2003-2004) Three years later, the native Texan found love on set again, this time while shooting the 2003 civil war epic Cold Mountain, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her fateful meeting with rocker Jack White, who is six years her junior, led to them dating for a year and a half. Jack had been commissioned to write music for the movie, and had a small role playing her husband. Although the couple rarely spoke about their relationship, they made a public appearance together at the 2004 Oscars. During their relationship, he infamously got into a physical altercation with his bandmate, Jason Stollsteimer, which he pled guilty to, according to Rolling Stone. He was fined $500 and sentenced to court-appointed anger management classes for his assault and battery charge. Upon announcing their breakup, the actress' spokesman said in a statement: 'They remain good friends. There's no scandal and no new relationships.' Kenny Chesney (2005) Renée and country music singer Kenny Chesney experienced a meet-cute worthy of a rom-com, after both attending NBC's Concert of Hope tsunami aid telethon in January 2005. After reportedly hoping to meet him at the event, and pass him a flirty note, a source told People that once the 'broadcast wrapped' he approached Renée and said: 'I hear you are trying to pass me a note - don't let the principal find out.' Two years prior, he listed her as one of the three sexiest people on earth in 2002 during a chat with The Tennesseean, alongside, Charlize Theron and Janet Jackson. 'Here's a country girl who's still down to earth,' the singer said. 'That makes her really, really sexy. Plus she seems like the kind of girl who could fit in and be at home anywhere.' Months after discovering their mutual crush on each other, Renée confirmed they were a couple by bringing him a margarita and sharing a kiss with him on stage at one of his concerts. After three months of dating, they wed on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. But to the world's shock, just four months later, in September 2005, she filed to annul their marriage, citing 'fraud' as the reason. Neither has provided any further information on their split, but she said that it made her 'said' to see widespread speculation that their marriage failed because Kenny was 'gay'. 'It made me sad that somehow people were using that as a way to be cruel and calling someone gay as a pejorative, which has fateful consequences,' she told The Advocate in 2016. As for why she remained silent as the allegations swirled, the performer responded that she wasn't in the habit of pouring her heart out to the tabloids. 'I'd said all I needed to say on that subject. I'm an old-fashioned gal who doesn't feel it's appropriate to hang out your laundry on the lawn,' she told the publication. 'I feel you devalue yourself as a human being when you share very personal things with a bajillion strangers who are making fun of you. I just don't see that there's any dignity in that.' She did go on to acknowledge, though, that 'sometimes it is difficult to just let something be what it is, especially when it's unnecessary ugliness.' In 2007, Kenny shut down the rumours and said they were simply 'not true.' 'I didn't have to prove to anybody that I wasn't. I didn't feel like I really did,' he said in a 60 Minutes interview Bradley Cooper (2009-2011) Like several of her high-profile relationships, the Judy star fell hard for another handsome co-star after meeting Bradley Cooper on set of their film Case 39 in 2009. While they both stayed tight-lipped about their time together, Bradley couldn't help but sing her praises in one interview. 'I just love her. I [loved] coming to work. I love acting with her. I can learn so much from her,' he told ET in 2010. She told the outlet that he is 'a great, great actor' and admitted to being 'so excited' to get to 'work with him.' They went on to move in together that same year, but parted ways in 2011. Following the death of his father, Charles Cooper, she skipped the Golden Globes to be with him, according to People, who reported she was 'close to Cooper's mom, Gloria.' Both were coming off of brief marriages at the time of their relationship since Cooper was married to actress Jennifer Esposito in 2007 for a four-month frame. An insider told US Weekly in 2011 that the Hollywood relationship crumbled under the weight of Cooper's burgeoning career. 'If I had to pick any possible mistress it would be Brad's career. He worked really hard to get into leading man status' while 'Renee had to take a backseat' and even 'traveled with him to make it work.' The source noted that Renée, at the time, had 'accomplished a lot of her professional goals' and 'took some time out to be a great girlfriend and see if this is what it took to make a relationship work.' Eventually, the source said that Renée 'stopped fighting' to keep it working. 'It was just not working out,' the source added. However, the pair were reunited in 2020 at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where they were pictured enjoying a brief chat with one another. Doyle Bramhall II (2012- 2019) Renee and Doyle Bramhall, 55, who is now in a relationship with supermodel Elle Macpherson, dated for seven years before it was revealed in 2019 they had parted ways. The former couple met when they were just students at the University of Texas in the early nineties. In 2012, two years after Doyle ended his marriage, they decided to give dating a try. Though they never considered a romantic relationship during their college days, the two made up for lost time as they stuck by each other's sides from 2012 to 2019. Upon speaking about their romance in 2015, she gushed: 'Isn't he cute? He's a very sweet man. I'm very, very happy right now,' the star told People. According to documents, obtained by E! News, he lived for free with her and she paid his credit card bills in the midst of his separation from his former spouse, Susannah Melvoin. The site reports that Renee had been subbing the credit card fees which varied between $4,000 to $5,000 a month, with the court documents detailing that this was a loan and a repayment was expected. Renee was also said to have paid for Doyle's expenses in 2015 that added up to nearly $60,000. During a hearing in Doyle's divorce from ex Susannah Melvoin, the judge ruled that Renee's income should not have any bearing on what the musician pays in spousal and child support to his estranged wife. Doyle, who also dated Sheryl Crow, was married to Susannah from 1997 to 2010 and they have two daughters together. According to Radar Online, his jealousy contributed to the end of their longtime relationship. 'She and Doyle built a happy home life together and they even discussed adopting a baby together,' a source told the outlet in 2016. Ultimately, they 'drifted apart emotionally when they were separated for weeks at a time' and weren't 'able to rekindle the spark.' The insider added: 'Renee hit her breaking point over the jealousy issues.' But in May 2024, the pair appeared to be the friendliest of exes as the Bridget Jones star showed her support at his Royal Albert Hall gig in the British capital. Renee was pictured catching up with her old flame as they proved they are still on great terms following their split. The duo appeared delighted to see each other as they sweetly embraced inside the London venue. Ant Anstead (2021-present) Ant and Renée initially met while filming an episode of his series Celebrity IOU Joyride in April of 2021. But the couple have not been seen together in public since early March when they were snapped supporting Anstead's young son at a football game. reported that the pair have been living apart for the past year amid Ant's financial trouble. In recent years, he owned a multi-million-dollar house in the exclusive town of Laguna Beach, California, and was pictured in 2022 moving in with Renée in her $30,000-per-month clifftop home across the street. But for the past year he had downgraded to a modest, 832sqft, two-bed rental listed at $4,250 per month. Ant's spokeswoman told the small house he left over a month ago 'was rented solely by Mr. Anstead'. His landlord confirmed Renée was not on the lease. The Bridget Jones's Diary star, meanwhile, is currently in New York City filming a new season of popular Hulu show, Only Murders in the Building, while Ant was believed to be spending time in his home country, the UK, in recent weeks before returning to Laguna. His rep told he 'continues to remain private about his cherished personal relationship.' Renee's rep declined to comment. Meanwhile, a source close to the Bridget Jones star told they are still dating, despite living apart. But last week, Ant was spotted staying overnight at the home of wealthy 36-year-old Laguna woman Julia French, who goes by 'Jules'. Jules, who has worked as a certified spin instructor at Rhythm Ride Laguna Beach according to her Facebook page, is currently divorcing her hedge fund founder husband, James Hanna III, the father of her two young children. A keen-eyed observer told that in recent months Ant was even spotted meeting Jules on the beach for a sunset rendezvous, a romantic setting in the sought-after Southern California coastal town. However, the pair have never been seen engaging in any non-platonic behaviour. A source close to Ant claimed he had been staying in the apartment on the property since he moved out of his modest rented house around April. 'One of her kids goes to the same school as Hudson. When Ant's working late or needs childcare, Hudson goes back with Jules' kids. Then in the evening Ant picks Hudson up,' the source said. The French family are well-known in Laguna and own several properties around the elite seaside town. Her beachfront, five-bed home is worth an estimated $8million according to real estate site Redfin, and has a separate two-bed unit. A friend of French who helps manage her properties told last week that Ant had not been living at French's home. But the TV presenter was spotted returning to the clifftop mansion after watching his son Hudson's football game last Tuesday, the evening of May 20, his car was in the driveway at 7am the following morning, and he was later spotted emerging from the property for a coffee run with a male friend, suggesting he had slept over at the property that night. A source close to Renée said the actress is wary of having him move in with her, even after four years of dating. '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 said. 'That's kind of how the relationship works.' Rumours have been swirling of the couple's potentially rocky relationship status as his financial woes mount. This month, Ant's supercar company Radford Motors filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware court, which usually results in the liquidation of a firm. Ant even posted a video on Instagram saying he was selling his prized Land Rover Defender – though he revealed in the post that he had a 'new car incoming'. Responding further to story today, Anstead's rep responded that 'Mr. Anstead and Miss Zelwegger (sic) are still together.' The rep added: 'Mr. Anstead is working mostly in the UK, and he has spent some of his limited time back in OC at his friend's home. 'His friend Jules has a separate, detached guest house and the suggestion that their relationship is anything other than platonic is unacceptable.'
