Ant Anstead is a man of many talents! Before rising to fame on For the Love of Cars in 2013, the TV star had embarked on a very different career path – and it was one he excelled at. According to the host's official website, Ant had actually joined the police force in 1999 at the age of 18, and he certainly made an impression. Keep reading for all the details…
A member of the police force for six years, by 2003, Ant had been appointed one of the youngest Tactical Firearms Team officers in UK history. Adding to his list of achievements, the Wheeler Dealers star also received two commendations for acts of bravery. While the 44-year-old eventually turned his attention to the automotive world in 2005, his experience in the police has stayed with him.
Speaking to Influx Magazine, Ant said: "I was in her Majesty's police service for six years. When I was 18 and a half, I joined the police force. I knew I didn't want to go down the education route with University etc, so ended up a copper, and I can honestly say, it's the best decision I have ever made. I loved being in the police. I was there six years, and five years, 11 months and 29 days of that was incredible."
He added: "I received two commendations for bravery and have faced a number of life threatening incidents – really opening my eyes to what humans are capable of. When you're standing in-front of someone armed – that's real fear – it kind of makes standing on stage or in front of a camera easy. I always remind myself of that, and how lucky I am to be doing what I do."
Nowadays, Ant is recognised for appearing in Wheeler Dealers, Christina on the Coast and Celebrity IOU: Joyride, and it was during his stint on the latter that he found love with Hollywood actress, Renée Zellweger.
The Bridget Jones' Diary actress, 54, and the TV presenter first crossed paths in April 2021, shortly after the death of her publicist Nanci Ryder. After stumbling onto an episode of Celebrity IOU, in which Ant rebuilt classic cars for deserving people in their lives, Renée decided to join the show.
Her aim was to help twin nurses Jerome Cowan and Jerald Cowan who had looked after Nanci in the final years of her life. The couple kept their relationship out of the spotlight, with Ant admitting during an appearance on E!'s Daily Pop in August of that year: "Look … everybody knows that Renée and I have become quite close, because we kept it secret for a while, and unfortunately some pictures were taken and put out there."
He then went on to say it had been a "real pleasure" to work with the actress on the show, noting: "She's super pro, and she can weld!"
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Ant, who splits his time between the US, where his son Hudson lives, and the UK, where his oldest children Amelie and Archie reside, has introduced Renée to his kids.
Back in July 2023, the motor specialist shared a photo of Renée, Amelie and Archie, as they headed to Goodwood Festival of Speed. Captioning the picture on his Instagram, Ant wrote: "@fosgoodwood How it started, How it ended x @landrover @radfordmotors," and fondly labeled his kids as "absolute utter LEGENDS."