Renee Zellweger Not Yet Engaged To Ant Anstead, Despite Reports

Whomp, whomp! Ant Anstead and Renee Zellweger are not getting hitched as many reports suggested -- yet!

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Put the wedding bells on hold because, despite reports to the contrary, Ant Anstead and Renee Zellweger are not yet engaged. Ant, 44, was reported to have made the big move, with The Sun reporting on July 18 that the Bridget Jones’ Diary actress has told friends they’re “tying the knot after a low-key engagement.” However, a source has confirmed to HollywoodLife that this is not true and the pair are not engaged at this time. But hey, that doesn’t mean the big day couldn’t be down the road! Things to seem to be getting more serious for the pair at any rate!

Ant and Renee, 54, met while filming his show, Celebrity IOU: Joyride. Renee was on June 2021 episode in honor of her friend and beloved former publicist Nanci Ryder. The episode centered around renovating vehicles for the twin brother nurses who provided care for the celebrity flack.  Tragically, Nancy was diagnosed with ALS in 2014, prior to her 2020 death. It was a heartwarming and meaningful beginning to the epic relationship.

Their romance was later reported and eventually confirmed when the paparazzi caught them kissing on the balcony of his Laguna Beach house in early July. Come Aug. 22, the pair officially went “Instagram official” when Ant posted a photo that featured himself, Renee, and his Celebrity IOU: Joyride co-star Cristy Lee. In his caption, Ant called the Oscar winner “incredibly magical.”

Renee Zellweger
Renee Zellweger at the 74th British Academy Film Awards in LA on April 11, 2021 (Photo: Rob Latour/Shutterstock for BAFTA)

Ant previously revealed that he and Renee had been dating for “a while” before news of their romance surfaced online. “Everyone knows that Renee and I have become quite close, [but] we kept it a secret for a while, and unfortunately, some pictures were taken and put out there,” Ant told Entertainment Tonight in August. In the same interview, Ant praised Renee’s work ethic, which he got to witness during their time together on the Discovery+ series. “It was a real pleasure to work with her. She’s super pro, and she can weld,” he said.

In March 2022, Renee revealed details about her “serendipitous” meeting with Ant. She was grieving the loss of her good friend and publicist, Nanci Ryder, who passed away in June 2020 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). While pondering how to celebrate the twin nurses (Jerome and Jerald Cowan) who cared for Nanci in her final days, she happened on an episode of Celebrity IOU, a program where a famous person pays tribute to someone in their life by renovating the person’s home. The host of that program? Ant. Renée got involved in the show, and the episode began filming in June 2021. While Renee gifted the twins a pair of classic cars, she and Ant fell in love.

 

Ant Anstead
Ant Anstead at The Advent Tale fundraising gala in London on Dec. 9, 2016 (Photo: Can Nguyen/Shutterstock)

This will be the third marriage for Ant and the second for Renee. Ant was previously married to Louise Anstead from 2005 to 2017, they share daughter Amelie, 17, and son Archie, 14. Ant then married Flip or Flop star Christina Haack in 2018, but they split less than two years later. The exes have continued to co-parent son Hudson, 1.

Meanwhile, Renee married Kenny Chesney in May 2005, but four months later, the couple had their marriage annulled. Most recently, she was in a relationship with musician Doyle Brahmhall II from 2012 to 2019.