Tarek El Moussa Reveals HGTV Almost Canceled ‘Flip or Flop’ After Cancer Diagnosis (VIDEO)
HGTV star Tarek El Moussa is getting candid about his experience of filming Flip or Flop, his cancer battle, and his personal life in a new interview with Jennifer Hudson.
El Moussa appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show to promote his recently released book, Flip Your Life: How to Find Opportunities in Distress. Sitting down with the host, El Moussa opened the discussion with chit-chat about his son who had been born shortly before he last appeared on the talk show.
“Believe it or not, he just turned a year old. Already!” El Moussa exclaimed. When asked about what it’s like being a dad at this point in his life, El Moussa said, “I finally feel like I’m ready to be a dad.” He has two older children, a daughter and a son with former Flip or Flop costar and ex-wife Christina Hall.
“It’s a different experience. When I was in my twenties when I had my daughter, I was young, I was building my business, I was overwhelmed, I was stressed out. You know, today, I’m a little more established, I’m a little older, I’m a little wiser, so it’s a different experience and I’m really enjoying it,” El Moussa shared of parenting his youngest, Tristan.
When it comes to helping out with baby Tristan, El Moussa said, “My daughter is definitely helpful. My son… we’re getting there.” Instead, El Moussa revealed that his elder son would rather play than help with younger brother Tristan.
As the conversation continued, El Moussa opened up about how his role on HGTV saved his life when a viewer sent an email to the network raising concern about a lump on his neck. “I had gone to my normal doctor multiple times because I was always clearing my throat and I felt pressure in my neck. And they gave me allergy medicine and nose sprays but they never did an ultrasound or a biopsy or gave me a referral,” El Moussa recalled. “Once I got that email I was scared.”
Ultimately, El Moussa had an exploratory surgery that uncovered thyroid cancer, and after looking through past lab tests, decided to have an ultrasound that revealed he also had testicular cancer. What’s surprising about El Moussa’s recounting of these events is the reveal that HGTV wanted to end the show due to the circumstances, but he claims that he wouldn’t let it happen, instead, opting to openly share his battle with viewers.
As for his book and sharing his story, El Moussa told Hudson, “I felt like I had to be honest, and the only way to tell the real story is to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth… It was my time to share what I went through.”
“In a lot of ways, it was an apology to my family, to my ex-wife, to my children, to my mom, to my dad, kind of to everybody… because when you’re going through multiple cancers back to back and your hormones are off, and you’re in surgeries and you have no thyroid, you do things you wouldn’t normally do,” El Moussa continued. “Not that it’s an excuse, but I just wasn’t the best guy during those years.”
See the full interview, above, and let us know what you think of El Moussa’s revelations in the comments section.
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