Tarek Gustave El Moussa (born August 21, 1981) is an American real estate investor and TV personality. He is best known for co-hosting HGTV's Flip or Flop alongside his then-wife Christina Haack.[1] The pair found success flipping houses as an alternative to their previous business of selling real estate, which took a hit during the 2008 economic crisis.[2]
Tarek El Moussa | |
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 El Moussa in 2019 | |
| Born | Tarek Gustave El Moussa August 21, 1981 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
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| Children | 3 |
Early life
editTarek Gustave El Moussa was born on August 21, 1981, to a Lebanese Catholic father, whose family migrated to Egypt, and a Belgian mother, whose maiden name is Arnould,[3] in Long Beach, California.[4] In 2000, he graduated from Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, California. He has an older sister.
Career
editEl Moussa got his real estate license in 2002, at the age of 21.[5] He had a lucrative career selling real estate until the 2008 economic crisis, when the business he shared with his then-wife, Christina Haack, began to struggle.[2] At that time, the couple had no choice but to give up their $6,000/month home to move to a $700/month apartment.[6] The pair then ventured into a new real estate strategy - flipping houses. During their first flip, El Moussa submitted an audition tape to HGTV that followed the pair's process of flipping a house.[7][8] The network picked up the show, which has seen a popular 10-season run, with season 10 premiering on HGTV in December 2021.[9]
Despite the couple's divorce, they continued working together on Flip or Flop, with Tarek saying to People, "From the beginning, HGTV has shown Christina and me tremendous support and we are excited to go out there and flip many more houses for Flip or Flop."[10]
In 2020, El Moussa launched a second HGTV show, Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa, in which he serves as a mentor to novice house-flippers.[11] On December 2, 2022, he and his second wife Heather Rae shared a first look at their 2023 show The Flipping El Moussas,[12] which premiered on March 2, 2023.[13]
Personal life
editHe married Christina Haack in May 2009.[14] The couple met while working at a real estate office, later entering into business together. Their daughter was born on September 22, 2010. Their son was born on August 20, 2015.[15] In 2013, Tarek was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. A Flip or Flop viewer, nurse Ryan Reade, "noticed that at certain angles, at certain times, it just caught my eye that Tarek had a lump on his throat"[16] and contacted producers. Tarek has been in remission since 2014.[17] Tarek and Christina divorced in 2018.[18]
El Moussa started dating former Playboy Playmate and real estate agent Heather Rae Young in 2019. They married October 23, 2021, at the Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel in Montecito.[19] The wedding was the subject of the Discovery+ special Tarek and Heather: The Big I Do.[20] Tarek announced their son's birth on January 31, 2023, on Instagram.[21]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–2022 | Flip or Flop | Co-host | 149 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Brother vs. Brother | Himself and Judge | 7 episodes |
| 2015 | Flip or Flop Follow-Up | Host | 3 episodes |
| 2017–2024 | Entertainment Tonight | Guest and guest co-host | 19 episodes |
| 2019, 2021 | Rock the Block | Himself and Judge | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Face the Truth | Panelist | 1 episode |
| 2020–present | Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa | Host | 27 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | Selling Sunset | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Tarek & Heather: The Big I Do | Himself | Discovery+ special |
| 2021 | Tarek's Flip Side | Host | 4 episodes |
| 2023 | The Flipping El Moussas | Host | 8 episodes |
References
edit- ^ Lewis, Raha (September 10, 2013). "'Flip or Flop' Host Tarek El Moussa Battling Thyroid Cancer". People. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ a b "Tarek el Moussa - Biography - Real Estate Agent from Flip Or Flop TV series". CelebriCo. 2016-08-31. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
- ^ "Tarek el Moussa of 'Flip or Flop' Has the Most Interesting Family History". 20 September 2018.
- ^ Pasquini, Maria (August 21, 2021). "Tarek El Moussa Celebrates 40th Birthday with Fiancée Heather Rae Young and Kids: 'We Love You'". People. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
- ^ "9 Surprising Facts About Tarek El Moussa That'll Make You See Him in a Whole New Light". realtor.com. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ "A Definitive Timeline of Tarek and Christina El Moussa's Relationship". Redbook. 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
- ^ Corbett, Kelly (2020-12-24). "Tarek El Moussa Says He Was Broke After Buying His First Home That He Couldn't Even Afford Furniture". House Beautiful. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ "Tarek & Christina El Moussa Make The Decision To 'Flip Or Flop' - Los Angeles News | FOX 11 LA KTTV". 2015-07-01. Archived from the original on 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ "Christina Anstead Shares 'Flip or Flop' Will Return for Season 10: "Thank You HGTV for Sticking with Us"". 6 November 2020.
- ^ "'Flip or Flop' Couple Tarek and Christina El Moussa to Reunite for Supersized Season Despite Split". 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ "HGTV star Tarek El Moussa talks about his new show — and girlfriend". Los Angeles Times. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ "Heather El Moussa and husband Tarek share 1st look at their new HGTV show". TODAY.com. 3 December 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
- ^ "The Flipping El Moussas With Tarek El Moussa And Heather Rae Young". nexttvseries.com. 21 February 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
- ^ Picard, Caroline; Garrity, Amanda (2020-02-20). "Tarek El Moussa Admits He "Hit Rock Bottom" Following Divorce from 'Flip or Flop' Costar Christina". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ "Christina and Tarek El Moussa's Kids Look So Much Like Them It's Crazy". Country Living. July 31, 2019.
- ^ "How HGTV star Tarek El Moussa's cancer, spotted by fan, changed his life". TODAY.com. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- ^ "Flip or Flop Star Tarek el Moussa Reveals He Also Battled Testicular Cancer". 21 February 2017.
- ^ "Christina and Tarek's Ups and Downs: Police Calls, Set Fights and More". Us Weekly. September 20, 2021.
- ^ "Tarek El Moussa and Heather Rae Young Are Married: 'The Love I've Always Dreamed of'". People. October 23, 2021.
- ^ "Tarek El Moussa and Heather Rae Young Say 'Yes' to a Televised Wedding Special, The Big I Do". People. September 30, 2021.
- ^ Grebenyuk, Yana (2 February 2023). "Heather Rae Young Welcomes 1st Child With Husband Tarek El Moussa: 'It Was Truly a Special Moment'". Us Weekly. Retrieved 6 February 2023.