Ant Anstead Says His Relationship With Renée Zellweger Is Surprisingly Normal Despite The Spotlight
Ant Anstead may be dating a Hollywood star, but he insists that his relationship with Oscar-winner Renée Zellweger is refreshingly ordinary. Despite the intense public interest in their romance, the British automotive expert and TV host said that their day-to-day life is far from the glitz and glamour often associated with Hollywood couples.
During a recent appearance on the U.K. talk show Jeremy Vine on 5, Ant was asked if it felt “weird” to be in a relationship so closely watched by strangers. His response? Not really.
“I don’t give it any time,” the Wheeler Dealers star said, adding, “I mean, ultimately, it is microscopically examined, I’m sure, but I don’t really think about that. She’s so incredibly normal and I often forget that she’s famous.”
Ant, who met Renée, 55, in June 2021 while filming his Discovery+ show Celebrity IOU: Joyride, joked about how their romance began, saying, “Thank you, Discovery, for your dating services.”
Since then, the couple has kept things low-key, despite Renée’s iconic role as Bridget Jones keeping her in the spotlight.
However, Renée won’t be appearing on Ant’s latest show, Ant Anstead: Born Mechanic, due to busy schedules. While Ant filmed over the summer, Renée was hard at work in London on the upcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, set to release on Valentine’s Day in 2025. The film marks the return of beloved characters Bridget (played by Renée), Daniel (played by Hugh Grant), and introduces new faces like Leo Woodall and Isla Fisher.
Although Ant won’t be making it to the U.K. for the premiere, he’s a self-proclaimed fan of the franchise. “It’s a duty of us Brits to be Bridget Jones fans. It’s not by any mistake that the movie makes its fourth movie, you know. Great movies return and it’s a great movie,” he stated.
In fact, Ant was so smitten with Renée’s work that when he saw the movie poster for the new Bridget Jones film, he couldn’t help but gush on Instagram. “Oh man… she’s so beautiful!” he wrote, adding, “That’s my Ren (lucky boy),” complete with a heart-eye emoji.
Back in April, a source revealed to PEOPLE that Ant would be relocating to the U.K. temporarily to be with Renée while she filmed the movie. The move also gave him a chance to spend time with his older children, 21-year-old Amelie and 18-year-old Archie, who live in the U.K. from his first marriage to Louise Storey. His 5-year-old son Hudson, from his second marriage to HGTV star Christina Haack, lives in California.
The couple now shares a home in Orange County, where they’ve been living since spring 2023. They seem to enjoy keeping things cozy and personal, as seen in a sweet birthday tribute Ant posted for Hudson on Instagram in September. “NayNay and I love you very much!” he wrote, referencing Renée by her nickname from Hudson.
Last month, Ant posted another heartwarming Instagram story — a bouquet of white roses from Renée with a note that read, “Welcome home, sweet man!” The message, signed with “I love you,” added a romantic touch to their already charming relationship. Ant cheekily captioned the post, “Ladies… Trust Me on This! Buy Men Flowers!”
But not everything in Ant’s life is smooth sailing. His supercar company, Radford Motors, recently hit a rough patch and filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 22. The company, which Ant co-founded, is currently going through restructuring and facing multiple lawsuits.
