Christina and Tarek El Moussa Don't Watch The Show

From Country Living

When Christina and Tarek El Moussa split in 2016, it was a safe assumption that their HGTV show, Flip or Flop, would be no more. The network's roster is replete with happily married husbands and wives transforming houses into homes together. But this month, the series returns for its first season since the divorce.

Awkward? Actually, "beyond awkward" were Christina's exact words when describing working together in the press release for the new season. And yeah, Christina told us it might even be a little awkward for viewers to watch, too. But the El Moussas can at least agree on one thing: It's going to be great TV.

"We speak our minds and we say what we want to say. We don't always have to agree anymore-we're not married," Tarek told CountryLiving.com. "It's definitely going to be an awesome season. The fans are going to love it."

In fact, he thinks it just may be their best season yet-though admittedly, he hasn't watched back episodes of the show in "quite some time."

"Obviously I don't like watching the older seasons because it brings me back to a different life and has triggers for me of all the awful times and all the things I went through," Tarek explained. "So I'm actually looking forward to watching season 7 because I'm happy, I'm healthy, and it's exciting and different."

Previously, Tarek was battling two types of cancer and a debilitating back injury, which he was managing with "large amounts of pain meds." Now, he says he's "feeling the best he's ever felt" post-illnesses and post-divorce.

But that's not the only reason he can't wait for the premiere. "Obviously we're divorced now so there's a little more push and pull and back and forth and I'd say it's more real than it's ever been," Tarek continued.

Christina echoed these sentiments, saying, "I think the difference now is that each of us is fighting more for what we want in the houses. He definitely is more involved with design this season and makes his opinions more known than in previous seasons."

That's not to say it's been easy. "We admittedly did have to stop shooting when they were breaking up," Discovery Content Chief Kathleen Finch revealed in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "They didn't want to work together. After a little while, they came back and said they wanted to keep making the show as a divorced couple. Are they always in a good mood toward each other? No, but that's OK. Tarek and Christina were fine letting their real lives show on the air. I think the show will come back bigger than it was."

And they're not going to gloss over the divorce, either. In the new season, it seems fans will get an inside look at how the former couple has adjusted to balancing their business as well as co-parenting their two kids as exes.

"I think it's good we're incorporating more real life," Christina, who is now dating boyfriend Ant Anstead, told us. "You know, I think not addressing the divorce leaves people wondering and questioning why we aren't. I think it makes sense to talk about a little more personal stuff in the episodes-I think it's more relatable, and I think the fans are going to enjoy watching it."

Just watch it for the design? Don't worry. "Every episode still has an amazing transformation," Christina added, including a huge remodel of a million dollar home in Orange County that Tarek called his personal favorite.

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