Tarek El Moussa and Christina Ex Moussa "respect" each other and continue to co-parent their two children despite their split, E! News has learned, in the wake of another disturbing tabloid report about the former couple.
The married couple and stars of HGTV's Flip or Flop revealed in December they had separated earlier in 2016 and have dated other people since their split. They share two children—daughter Taylor, 6, and son Brayden, 1. Tarek filed divorce papers earlier this month.
"They have nothing but respect for each other," a source close to the couple told E! News Wednesday. "They are co-parenting successfully. They will be in each other's lives forever."
Their split has spurred tabloid headlines. Life & Style magazine reported Wednesday that Tarek joked to Christina, "Shut up, woman, or I'll rape you," speaking in front of Flip or Flop crew members. The report also said he had showcased "erratic, ugly behavior and wild mood swings" for years.
The source denied the report and said things have been fine between the two on the Flip or Flop set.
"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 businesses," Tarek said in a statement to E! News Wednesday.
He had issued a nearly identical statement last week following an In Touch magazine report that had claimed he was grabby and verbally abusive to Christina, calling her a "whore," on the show's set.
Christina has not commented on the reports.
Last month, it was reported police were called to the family's California home months earlier to investigate a report of a "possibly suicidal male with a gun." Christina told police Tarek ran outside the house with a backpack containing a handgun. Police found him in park.
The couple responded to the incident in their split announcement, calling it an "unfortunate misunderstanding" and saying the police were called "in an abundance of caution."
As for the future of Flip or Flop, E! News recently new episodes of the show will only be filmed in 2017 to fulfill contractual obligations and that the show will then end.