Ant Anstead Reveals the Qualities He Loves Most About Girlfriend Renée Zellweger (Exclusive)

Ant Anstead is opening up about his new relationship with Renée Zellweger.

ET spoke with the Celebrity IOU: Joyride star and his co-host, Christy Lee, on Wednesday, where he addressed his budding romance with the Oscar-winning actress and the qualities he loves most about her. Anstead, 42, and Zellweger, 52, first met while filming the Discovery+ series, which premieres Monday, Aug. 23.

"The irony is that, IOU, thank you, Discovery+. I wish they could take me off the database now because the dating service is over," Anstead told ET's Nischelle Turner. "One thing I think that really comes across in the show, is that this is an opportunity to see a little bit behind the curtain. Renée in particular, she doesn't give herself freely outside of movies. She's a very private person and that's something I really love about her."

"Yeah, she's nice ... I love that she can weld," he continued. "You get to see a side of her that was really real, and she really shared that, and I think that applies to all the celebrities. They really did give themselves fully to this project and gave us, the public, a view to have a look. That's who they really are; they're great people."

Celebrity IOU: Joyride follows Anstead and Lee as they give celebrities the opportunity to "roll up their sleeves and create automotive masterpieces for someone special in their lives." The Celebrity IOU home renovation spinoff will see a number of celebrities, including Zellweger, all try their hand at car restoration and repairs.

Lee joked to ET that there were all sorts of "sparks flying on set" the day Zellweger arrived.

"Lots of sparks," she reiterated. "And I am specifically talking about grinding because we did grind and weld on the Ford Bronco."

"I was busy removing the seats and working under the hood on the 442. So Renée and I were very busy working," she added. "She was very experienced with cars."

Anstead and Zellweger sparked romance rumors in June and were spotted out and about together for the first time one month later. Since then, it appears their bond has only gotten stronger.

"Sometimes it comes at the most unexpected time," Anstead told ET about opening his heart again following his divorce from Christina Haack. "Everything comes when you need."

Anstead and Zellweger attended their first public event together earlier this month, stepping out to celebrate the grand unveiling of Raford Motors' Lotus Type 62-2 race car, which Anstead helped create. The master mechanic posed with Zellweger and various friends at the event, taking to Instagram Stories to document the fun night. The pics marked the first time Anstead publicly shared photos with Zellweger.

Celebrity IOU: Joyride premieres Aug. 23 on Discovery+. Tune into Entertainment Tonight (check your local listings here) for more from Anstead's sit-down.

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