Ant Anstead is still reeling after a “brutal” change to his holiday plans prompted by the U.K.’s new coronavirus lockdown. The Wheeler Dealers star will no longer be able to fly back from the U.S. to spend Christmas and New Years with daughter Amelie, 17, and son Archie, 14, PEOPLE confirmed Monday after England entered Tier 4 restrictions Sunday to combat a fast-spreading variant of COVID-19, which includes banning travel into the country.
Ant’s 1-year-old son Hudson will reportedly spend the holidays with his ex, Flip or Flop‘s Christina Anstead, from whom he announced a split in September. “He is devastated to learn that he cannot travel back to the U.K.,” a source told PEOPLE of the father of three’s mindset. “He doesn’t know what his Christmas plans will be here in the states just yet.” Ant reacted to news of the lockdown on Instagram after restrictions were announced, replying to a commenter asking if his plans were affected with a broken heart emoji and the simple statement, “Brutal!!!!!”
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Tier 4 restrictions were announced in some areas of the U.K. Sunday, which also include bans on meeting with anyone outside your household or support bubble and leaving your home unless necessary. “Unfortunately, Amelie and Archie don’t have any residential status, so they’re not actually allowed to enter the U.S.,” Ant told PEOPLE before the change in travel regulations of his holiday travel plans, adding that while he video chats them every day, it’s been “incredibly frustrating” to not see them in person with ease.
Most recently, Ant chronicled a trip to visit his older kids this summer as part of Archie’s 14th birthday celebration and Amelie’s high school graduation, sharing a series of photos on Instagram at the time and detailing just how worth it every single second spent in quarantine was worth seeing his kids. “Archo you have grown into such an amazing young man and I love you to my core,” he wrote at the time, adding later, “Being there…. congratulations Ammo on your graduation!! You make this Daddo so so proud of you as you move into life’s next adventure!”
Ant and Christina lived in Newport Beach, California together when they wed in December 2018 and welcomed Hudson in September 2019. In September of this year, Christina and Ant confirmed they had separated, and the HGTV star officially filed for divorce in early November, requesting joint legal and physical custody of Hudson.
