Tarek El Moussa wanted to set the record straight Wednesday.
In Touch published several claims about the Flip or Flop star's divorce from Christina El Moussa in its Jan. 30 issue (on newsstands Friday), including that he refers to her as a "whore."
The tabloid also reported the exes have hired separate publicists in the wake of their breakup: Howard Bragman represents Tarek, while Cassie Zebisch represents Christina; E! News later confirmed In Touch's claim that Bragman and Zebisch are representing the HGTV personalities.
Other details from the magazine's cover story didn't sit well with Tarek.
For example, a source said Tarek "found humor in insulting his wife in repeated verbal attacks. Some of his bad behavior was even caught on camera [in footage that never aired]." Flip or Flop crewmembers were appalled but not surprised by his alleged attacks. "He said things like that all the time and then laughed about it," a source shared. "Tarek treated Christina like garbage."
Neither Christina nor Tarek commented for the story.
But, after an excerpt from the article was published online Wednesday, Tarek decided it was time to share his truth with the world. Distributing the same message via his Instagram and Twitter accounts, he wrote, "No matter the lies, innuendo, salacious gossip and 'fake news' that is thrown at me from irresponsible media outlets via anonymous sources, I will keep my focus on what matters most, which is co-parenting our children and working hard on our business."
It was a difficult day for both stars, as an insider told Hollywood Life Christina "is overwhelmed by life without her husband and is working hard to keep it all together after their split. After Tarek moved out of their home, his ex "has been leaning on a small team of nannies who help her with their two small kids as she juggles business obligations and managing the household."
Unlike Tarek, Christina has yet to comment on the report.
The El Moussas, who wed in 2009, have two kids and announced their separation on Dec. 12. The former couple laid much of the blame on an incident that occurred seven months earlier.
Police visited the El Moussa family's Orange County home in May 2016 after receiving a "call of a possibly suicidal male with a gun." Tarek allegedly ran from the house with the weapon and only dropped the gun after a helicopter spotted him and police instructed him to do so. Tarek later told police he did not intend to harm himself—he just wanted to "blow off some steam."
According to the El Moussas, the domestic incident was a "misunderstanding," as Tarek went hiking "and took a gun for protection from mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and rattlesnakes."
Even after their breakup, the El Moussas vowed "to continue our professional life together." However, E! News later learned that new episodes of Flip or Flop will only be filmed in 2017 to fulfill contractual obligations. As a source explained at the time, "The show will end after that."
In a previous statement, HGTV told E! News, "We admire and appreciate Tarek and Christina's great work on Flip or Flop. When it comes to matters related to their own family, we respect their privacy and honor any decision that works best for them and their children. HGTV is currently airing episodes of Flip or Flop and the series will continue production as scheduled."