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Christina Hall responded to Ant Anstead's accusation that she "exploits" their son on social media and TV.
Anstead, 43, and Hall, 39, have been in the midst of a custody battle over Hudson, 3, since April 28, 2022, when Anstead filed an emergency order for full custody in which he accused Hall of putting their son in "dangerous" situations and using him for sponsored content on Instagram. A judge denied Anstead's custody request the same day.
In the months since the emergency order, Anstead and Hall have "resolved" their custody issues "without the need for court intervention" as Hudson is on a 50/50 custody schedule, according to a supplemental declaration filed by Anstead on Monday, which Insider was able to review.
However, in the declaration, Anstead doubled down on his assertions about Hall's use of Hudson on social media and requested a judge grant him full legal custody of Hudson. Representatives for Anstead did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
In the declaration, Anstead said Hall "has already exploited Hudson in numerous paid promotions on social media" and that he has a "fear she also has footage of him, to be used in one of her 'reality' TV shows, without my knowledge or consent, and continues to film him despite my objections."
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Anstead then said the best way to protect Hudson would be to grant him full legal custody of Hudson.
"l do not believe it is in Hudson's best interests to be exploited by his mother for professional and financial gain," he said. "As she insists that he should be, I ask the court to give me legal custody so I can make the decisions to protect Hudson and prevent this from happening."
But Hall denied Anstead's allegations in her own supplemental declaration filed on Tuesday, which Insider was also able to review, writing that "from the start, Ant's intention was not to resolve this matter privately and amicably."
Representatives for Hall declined to comment when contacted by Insider for this story.
Hall went on to say in the declaration that it is Anstead who is insisting Hudson appear on social media for his business, Radford.
"I have never exploited our son Hudson," Hall said in her declaration. "He appeared in a few of my own Instagram ads that each took less than minutes to film. I have all the footage and they were all fun activities that he enjoyed doing, such as playing with toys or making cookies."
"Ant insists that he be allowed to post Hudson on his social media, while tagging products and businesses," Hall said. "Ant admits in his supplemental declaration that he will usually 'tag' his business 'Radford.' It is Ant who insists that he be able to use Hudson in social media posts to promote the post and expand its 'organic' reach."
"I have repeatedly taken the position that I will agree that Hudson shall not appear on television or on social media," she wrote.
Hall also said that she has not posted Hudson in any sponsored content since Anstead requested she stop in April 2022.
"If it is in the best interest of Hudson to be clear of public scrutiny, I feel Hudson should be off all public social media until he is old enough to make his own decisions," Hall said in her declaration.
In the same document, Hall added that Anstead "never had a problem" with Hudson being filmed until 2021, calling his declaration "hypocritical."
Indeed, during their brief marriage, Anstead and Hall filmed the earliest moments of Hudson's life together for her HGTV show "Christina on the Coast." The series included shots of the then-couple driving to the hospital ahead of his birth, Hudson in the hospital when he was just hours old, and clips of Hudson meeting his siblings in the hospital, as People reported.
Hall also said in her declaration that she repeatedly offered to resolve her issues with Anstead in private mediation, while he has taken the matter to court.
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"We agreed to resolve this custody matter privately and yet he continues to file publicly proving his desire and need for the public's attention," Hall said. "It is all quite disturbing and now that it is out in the public, it will be far more damaging to Hudson in the long run when he is old enough to see how this matter played out publicly."
She added in her declaration that Anstead falsely accused her of riding with Hudson in a golf cart without a seat belt in his emergency custody order on the same day he was arraigned for driving without a valid license.
"I am a dedicated and protective mother and am diligent about the welfare of all my children," Hall said in her declaration. "I am saddened that Ant continues to impugn my character and continues to portray me in a false light. I remain hopeful this Court will see the truth."
