INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE SUPERSTAR ANT ANSTEAD JUGGLES MULTIPLE TELEVISION PROJECTS, NEW VENTURES, AND FAMILY LIFE WITH ENTHUSIASM AND PURPOSE

BY LAURA D. C. KOLNOSKI

“Dream job” aptly describes the auto-centric career of British transplant Anthony “Ant” Richard Anstead, host of numerous television programs here and abroad, and a world record holder.

Since 2013, Anstead has helmed For the Love of Cars, Master Mechanic, Wheeler Dealers, and currently, Celebrity IOU:Joyride, a spin-off of the Property Brothers’ HGTV home renovation series Celebrity IOU. On Joyride (Discovery+), celebrities help transform a car for a deserving recipient. In a related one-hour special, Drew Scott’s Dream Car, Anstead and the Property Brother built a stunning one-of-a-kind sports car.

It’s been a wild ride for the Devon, England native. The self-described “car nut” constructed his first go-kart in 1992 at age 13, and his first roadworthy car at 16, but was undecided on a career path, so he joined the Hertfordshire Constabulary at 18.

“I didn’t tell my parents until the day before I started training,” Anstead exclusively told INDUSTRY, adding he was appointed one of the youngest Tactical Firearms Team officers in U.K. history. Anstead was recognized for valor after he was stabbed while on duty, still managing to apprehend two violent offenders. Afterward, he intervened with a suspect on the Wanted List with over 100 offenses, earning a second commendation. At 25, he decided to follow his automotive passions.

“I was broke when I left the police department, so I networked and did largely one-off construction jobs,” he said. “My police era absolutely shaped who I am the structure, discipline, perspective, and confidence. If you’re in a pub fight with 30 guys, you have to command it, control the room, and think on your feet. I’ve had guns pointed at me, so why would I get nervous on television? Life and death are more important than being a television host.”

Simultaneously, Anstead excelled at semi-professional soccer, playing in 700 games over 17 years, making U.K. sports history as the only player to win Ryman League promotions in two positions goalkeeper and striker.

Anstead built his first professional automotive workshop in a brick cowshed, which he rehabilitated in exchange for one year’s rent, before relocating to a larger space: a dairy farm that had become a drug den, seized by police, and put up for auction. After a year’s renovation, Anstead wryly christened it the “Potting Shed.”

Anstead is a nine-time Guinness World Records recipient, garnering awards for the value of a car for an individual marque, including Land Rover, Lotus Elite, and an Aston Martin DBS featured on For The Love of Cars. The world’s largest Airfix injection-molded plastic scale auto model he built was featured in a 2011 Ripley’s Believe it or Not book.

The world’s elite became Anstead’s buyers, attracted by his reputation for meeting and exceeding their customization dreams. Meanwhile, he was getting more on-camera gigs, from hosting Chinese New Year: The Biggest Celebration on Earth, to the Barrett-Jackson Live Auto Auction, craft shows, and Sunday Brunch Live. Anstead also launched his own production company, titled Angel 22.

“I only do projects that fascinate me,” he explained. “I’ve turned down more than I’ve done.” He relocated to the United States in 2017 to host Wheeler Dealers, which became the top show on The Discovery Channel, and recently moved to a new home near the beach in Southern California.

Anstead’s association with HGTV’s Scott brothers began when they met at events related to their television projects and “hit it off.” He was then recruited for Celebrity IOU Joyride, co-hosted by Cristy Lee. The first season featured skateboard pro Tony Hawk, singer Mary J. Blige, actors Octavia Spencer and James Marsden, and two-time Oscar winner Renée Zellweger. As has been widely publicized, Anstead and Zellweger became a couple after they met on the show’s first episode last June.

“For Drew Scott’s Dream Car we created a car that existed in Drew’s head,” Anstead explained. “What we built went beyond that and is incredibly beautiful. It’s a very 1950s/60s fully electric European-style vehicle. Drew was hands-on and a pleasure to work with. He understands how to make TV.”

Anstead is the ex-husband of Christina Haack, half of HGTV’s Flip or Flop home renovation hosts. Haack still appears on Flip or Flop with her first husband, Tarek El Moussa (featured in INDUSTRY in January 2018). When Haack began her HGTV series Christina on the Coast, Anstead appeared in early episodes. The pair share a toddler, Hudson. Anstead also has two teenagers, Amelie and Archie, from his first marriage, who reside in England. They visited Anstead over the holidays and joined him at his high-performance Radford Racing School.

“I have an 18-year-old daughter who loves to drive and a 15-year old son who wants to drive,” Anstead laughed, adding sibling rivalry had the pair vying to beat each other’s time. “They attended the official school of the Dodge Hellcats, which teaches young people to drive safely, and took the entry level course. They were fantastic! It was nice for them to see what I do.”

Together with Jenson Button, a 2009 World Champion Le Mans Formula 1 driver, entertainment lawyer Roger Behle, and designer Mark Stubbs, CEO of H. Radford Coachbuilders Ltd., Anstead acquired and rebranded Arizona’s Bondurant High Performance Racing School into the Radford Racing School to honor the U.K. brand founded in 1948.

“Radford had a cult following that included every Beatle, late actors Steve McQueen and Peter Sellers, and even Enzo Ferrari,” noted Anstead. Radford Returns, a two-hour special scheduled to debut January 22 on Discovery+ featuring all four partners chronicles the endeavor, including designing, building, and test driving the last gas-powered supercar for Lotus.

“Launching a supercar company is fraught with danger,” explained Anstead. “We are the custodians of a trusted British brand. The eyes of the world are watching.”

At press time, Anstead was awaiting word on the pilot for his newest show filmed at the track, Dream to Drive, which expounds on the popularity of auto kits and add-ons employed by car aficionados to enhance their rides.

“To do it, people need a budget, a workshop, access to parts, and a track. I have a track,” he said. “We surprise a member of the public and work on their car together.” The pilot features a woman upgrading her beloved Mazda Miata.

In his spare time, Anstead continues pursuing his other passions painting, drawing, and sculpture. His works are housed in private collections and museums worldwide. He’s penned two books: Cops and Robbers: The Story of the British Police Car (HarperCollins, 2018) and Petrol Head Parenting: The Essential Guide to Diagnosing and Nurturing a Petrol Head (Great Flood Publishing, 2018), and he’s recently completed a third; Doctor Taylor, a “dark psychological political thriller.”

Anstead currently owns over a dozen vehicles, but only one motorcycle, “a no-frills 1913 Indian, a piece of artwork,” that resides in his living room. His daily rides are a new Land Rover Defender, or his treasured 1965 Ford Mustang. His favorite road trips when traveling?

“I love to drive in Scotland and Ireland and feel at peace there,” he said. “Scotland is an amazing driving location with its beautiful remote Highlands, lochs, and lakes.”

In addition to a “year or two” of projects lined up, Anstead coyly said he has “something special in the works for the end of 2022,” but his first focus remains family.

“Being a father is the most prominent and important aspect of my life,” he said. “COVID-19 has changed people’s perception of family. It’s important to get off the phone and be present with your children. I get way more engagement talking about family than I do talking about cars.”

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