Jeff Lewis Cuts All Contact with Ex Amid Custody Dispute: 'I No Longer Want to Communicate'
Jeff Lewis is cutting communication with his ex Gage Edward as the two continue an “ugly” custody battle over their two-year-old daughter, Monroe.
The former partners, who were together for ten years before splitting in February, are looking at a 50/50 shared custody arrangement, Lewis said on Thursday’s episode of his Sirius XM Radio show Jeff Lewis Live. But the proposed agreement comes with a big stipulation for Lewis: ending all friendly communication with Edward.
“I did speak to Gage [on Wednesday] very briefly. There were no pleasantries. It was to the point: ‘This is the deal. This is what I will agree to.’ It is that 2-3-3 schedule,” the former Flipping Out star, 49, said, referring to an arrangement that would see he and Edward transferring Monroe between them every few days.
The deal has not yet been formalized with their lawyers, but Lewis noted that, should it stick, he will no longer communicate directly with Edward, 34, with whom he’s had a strained co-parenting relationship since their separation.
RELATED: Jeff Lewis’ Daughter, 2, Expelled from Preschool After He Criticized It on the Radio
“I’m anxious to try the new schedule and see how that works. We had, I thought, a direct line of communication about what she had for lunch and how long did she sleep, and how is she doing. And [after the conversation], I said, I no longer want to communicate with you,” Lewis said.
He continued, “I want to raise my child as I see fit when she’s with me, and you can raise her how you see fit when she’s with you. I don’t need to know anything. You don’t need to know anything.”
“In the interest of my daughter, I continue to have no comment on the matter,” Edward told PEOPLE on October 9.
Lewis alleged that Edward has also been taking advantage of some perks that Lewis pays for during his parenting time. “I was giving him full access to my employees — my nannies, my extra car. I said that is now off the table. You can now hire your own employees. You can buy your own second car with the nanny,” Lewis said.
The house flipper also claimed that Edward has been in contact with employees at Jeff Lewis Design, inquiring about Lewis’s whereabouts when he had custody of Monroe. Another habit, he’s cutting off. “There will be no more communicating with my employees, trying to get information about what I’m up to,” Lewis said.
Edward worked for his ex’s firm until May, 3 months after they split. He is now pursuing his own design projects independently.
After previously having an open-door policy when it came to spending time with their daughter, the pair have been increasingly formalizing their parenting arrangement.
The pair were scheduled to go to private mediation before a judge on October 3 to set a permanent custody agreement, but a source close to the situation told PEOPLE exclusively last week that they were trying to work it out instead, without mediation.
“They have tried for two months now to negotiate custody since the original temporary order was put in place,” the insider said.
RELATED: Jeff Lewis Claims Ex Gage Edward ‘Could Be Working More and Doesn’t’ as Legal Fees Pile Up
Monroe, who turns three this month, has also had a difficult few weeks. She was expelled from preschool over comments Lewis had made on his radio show. She’s now attending a new school, after Lewis said he made “a donation” to the institution.
Jeff Lewis Live airs weekdays (12 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy (Ch. 102)
