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ABC’s holiday TV show The Great Christmas Light Fight is back and fans will be thirsting over the hunky lifestyle expert Carter Oosterhouse.

If you’re wanting to know more about Carter‘s personal life, including if he’s single or married, we have you covered.

Carter first rose to fame when he joined the cast of TLC’s Trading Spaces for season four back in 2003 and he later became an HGTV star with shows like Carter Can, Red Hot & Green, and Million Dollar Rooms.

Ever since 2015, Carter has been co-hosting The Great Christmas Light Fight with Taniya Nayak.

So, who is Carter‘s real-life love?

Keep reading to find out more…

Carter Oosterhouse and wife Amy Smart!

Carter is married to actress Amy Smart!

The couple tied the knot in September 2011 and welcomed their first child, daughter Flora, in December 2016.

Amy is best known for her work in movies like Varsity Blues,...

The name on everybody's lips is going to be: Hildi. When Trading Spaces debuted on TLC in 2000, many of the stars from the show became household names. Many for their brilliant work on the show. Others for creating some of the wildest designs in the history of home renovation television. And the constant culprit of this feat was Hildi Santo Tomas. But there was one instance where she was beaten by one of her costars for causing tears of absolute dismay following the reveal of their redesigned room. Doug Wilson had always loved pushing boundaries, but often found himself presenting solid designs. Most of the couples who received a Doug room ended up pleased. But like a child with a fire on the stove, if you tell them no, they're going to do it anyway. So when homeowners Pam and John returned to witness that their off-limits fireplace was anything but,...

Randomly running into an ex is never fun. Bachelorette alum Jason Tartick revealed what happened the first time he ran into his ex, Kaitlyn Bristowe, after their breakup last summer. Was it as awkward as you’d imagine?

Bachelor Nation Exes Still Share Dogs

Jason Tartick and Kaitlyn Bristowe were together for nearly five years before breaking off their engagement in the summer of 2023.

The two never had children, but they were dog parents to two Golden Retrievers – Pinot and Ramen. Usually one person gets the dogs after a breakup, but Kaitlyn and Jason went a different route.

Jason Tartick and Kaitlyn Bristowe with their dogs/Credit: Jason Tartick Instagram

They created a schedule to share the dogs. But Bachelor Nation fans wonder how feasible that plan is for the long term, especially now that Jason Tartick is in a new relationship.

At this point, neither Kaitlyn or Jason have...

Carter Oosterhouse has become a hosting staple in many shows over the past decade. He was the host of the reality TV classic Trading Spaces, which was an experience he loved. Carter shared with Collider, “We shot so many episodes of [Trading Spaces], right? Like we shot so many episodes of, of we're just kind of like [a] traveling circus. Essentially we would go into home, after home, after home. But what it did was, it prepped me for a show like this, The Great Christmas Light Fight, where we still travel a ton.”...

Lady Gaga‘s habit of performing Wicked covers in college did not turn classmate and The Bachelor alum Carly Waddell into a fan. However, Kristin Chenoweth is certainly eating up the revelation!

If you missed it, Carly recently explained that Gaga would take over the piano during lunch hour and “just play and sing Wicked at the top of her lungs, every day.”

“Was she good? Of course. She’s great! But I just wanted to eat my sandwich,” she admitted on the Trading Spaces podcast.

Kristin, who originated the role of Glinda in Wicked on Broadway, is having a very different reaction. In fact, she’s got an idea for a collaboration.

Read more about Kristin Chenoweth’s proposal for Lady Gaga…

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kristin revealed that she wants to perform with Mother Monster.

“I’m ready to sing For Good with our girl Gaga,” she...

“Trading Spaces” host Ty Pennington went “from the red carpet to the ICU” on the same day, he shared on Instagram Friday.

The HGTV regular attended the “Barbie” premiere in Los Angeles on Sunday, flew to Denver, Colorado, to begin filming on Monday, and woke up at 4 a.m. Tuesday barely able to breathe.

“From the red carpet, to the ICU… This last week has been interesting! I’m Ok now, still recovering,” he wrote in a post that included photos of him on the pink carpet for the Greta Gerwig-film premiere and in the hospital.

“Turns out, that sore throat I’ve had for the last month was actually an abscess which had grown so large it was closing off my airway. Next thing I know, I was intubated and flown to the ICU in Denver. Wednesday I had surgery and yesterday afternoon I was released from the ICU.

Ty Pennington had a severe health scare after a short stint in the Barbie world.

The former host of the wildly popular ABC series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” found himself in the ICU mere days after attending the LA premiere of Warner Bros.’ summer flick “Barbie”.

Taking the devastating news to Instagram on Friday, Pennington, 58, revealed that he was rushed to a Denver-area hospital and intubated this week after smiling at cameras on the pink carpet.

Read More: Ty Pennington Reacts To Bodyshaming Comments On His Swimsuit Video: ‘I’m Human And I Have Feelings’

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“this last week has been interesting!” he wrote alongside a slideshow of pics which showed the charismatic “Trading Spaces” host and carpenter bound to a hospital bed after photos of him smiling at the premiere of the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling-led film,...

CBS is bringing the heat this summer, announcing premiere dates for three returning and one new reality series. CBS’ original summer lineup launches with the return of Secret Celebrity Renovation Friday, July 28, followed by the milestone 25th season premiere of Big Brother Wednesday, Aug. 2. The musical game show Superfan will now debut on a new day and time, Wednesday, Aug. 9, and The Challenge: USA launches Thursday, Aug. 10. All series will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*. During the summer, viewers will get a double dose of reality with Big Brother leading into Superfan on Wednesday nights, and then pairing with The Challenge: USA on Thursdays and the last three Sundays in August. Wednesday, Aug. 2 – In a special 90-minute episode, Big Brother premieres its milestone 25th season as a group of all-new Houseguests moves into the Big Brother House. Expect the unexpected this summer with a...

Welcome to Casa Gomez! On Tuesday, Becky G announced that for the very first time in her career, she’ll be heading out on her very own tour across the U.S. later this year.

Dubbed the “Mi Casa, Tu Casa” tour, Becky G will perform in sixteen cities, starting in Boston on Sept. 14 in time for Latinx Heritage Month, before it heads to cities including Orlando, San Antonio, El Paso, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

“I’m so excited to go out on the road for my first ever headlining...

CBS has announced another string of renewals.

This time, the network announced pickups for new seasons of Survivor, The Amazing Race, Tough as Nails, and Secret Celebrity Renovation.

This season, Survivor is a top 25 broadcast, delivering 7.59 million viewers in the fall after a season-long, Covid-related hiatus.

The series is CBS' most-streamed reality series on Paramount+, with streaming viewership up +199% from its prior fall season.

The fall edition also amassed five billion social media impressions.

The award-winning series returns tonight with a two-hour season premiere, Wednesday, March 9.

The Amazing Race delivered 5.42 million viewers this past season.

The series’ streaming viewership is up +93% on Paramount+ from its prior season.

Tough as Nails averages 3.57 million viewers.

It is a competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who consider the calluses on their hands a badge of honor. Phil Keoghan, Louise Keoghan and Terry Castagnola serve as executive producers.

Secret American Renovation, meanwhile, averaged 2.72 million viewers.

Ty Pennington has seen it all when it comes to home renovation shows, from Trading Spaces to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Battle on the Beach to, right now, Rock the Block, currently in its third season on HGTV and Discovery+. Pennington returns to host as four pairs of HGTV superstars go head-to-head in a battle for neighborhood supremacy. The rules are simple: Each team gets the same amount of time and money to completely renovate identical houses in South Carolina. If their home has the highest appraisal value at the end of the season, the street is named in their honor! With only the kitchens completed, the competitors still have a way to go before Charleston buyers can attend an open house. Ahead of the latest episode on March 7, the host chatted with TV Insider about exciting guest judges, new challenges, how Rock is unique and more. You’ve hosted...

Exclusive: SallyAnn Salsano’s Emmy-nominated 495 Productions is expanding its executive team, with two high-level hires and promotions for two longtime execs. The company has added Dave Hamilton as EVP of Content, along with Kirk Anderson, who joined 495 Prods. as Head of Production in January, and has elevated Josh Peters to Head of Development and Megan Pickett to VP of Development.

“I’m psyched to have a great team with me to tackle our returning shows, our new shows and whatever we whip up next.” said Salsano, “I have known Dave since we made shows together at VH1 in the 2000’s and I’ve always admired his skillset as an executive who can also go into the field to produce. Kirk and I met years ago working at The Bachelor and his can-do attitude was always there, he brought that same attitude to 495 six months ago. His experience has been...

Ty Pennington’s new HGTV series “Ty Breaker” has a pretty cool concept and a really good title — so which came first, the idea or the pun? TheWrap asked the “Trading Spaces” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” alum exactly that.

“The concept for the show came first and once we realized how important a big change to a certain area of the family’s home was … we realized it really was the ‘Ty Breaker’ in which design they eventually chose to go with,” Pennington told TheWrap. “And let’s face it — it’s a great title (laughs).”

“Here’s the crazy part, right? I don’t think there has ever been a show that, like, the person’s name — on HGTV — was in the title,” Pennington said. “So the fact that they did it, I was blown away. I was like, wow, that’s a bold move.”

Pennington has an older brother named Wynn,...

Alicia Vikander‘s next role is one familiar to her: The actress will play a movie star in the HBO limited series Irma Vep.

The drama — written and directed by Olivier Assayas and executive-produced by Vikander — follows Mira (Vikander), who, disillusioned by her career (and a recent breakup), comes to France to star as “Irma Vep” in a remake of the French silent film classic Les Vampires. Mira in turn struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur. The series is loosely based on Assayas’ 1996 feature film of the same name.

More from TVLineDid Blue Bloods Miss Its Shot?...

Trading Spaces alum Ty Pennington is set to star in Ty Breaker, a new home improvement reality show, for HGTV.

The eight-episode series will follow Pennington as he helps desperate families decide whether to overhaul their current property or renovate a new one to better meet their needs. Joining Pennington will be fellow HGTV designers Alison Victoria (Windy City Rehab), Grace Mitchell (One of a Kind) and Sabrina Soto (The High Low Project). It’s slated to premiere in early 2021.

In each episode, Victoria, Mitchell or Soto will entice the family to choose an alternative home that can be renovated to fulfill their wish list, while Ty does all he can to persuade the family to stay. In the end, will it be Ty or his HGTV co-star who holds sway? No matter which option the homeowner selects, Ty and his expert co-host will create the perfect dream home for the family.

Ty Pennington is getting his own HGTV series, “Ty Breaker,” in which the former TLC “Trading Spaces” standout and ABC “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” host will help “desperate” families decide whether to rehab their current property and stay in it, or to renovate a new home to “better meet their needs,” according to the show’s logline.

Though it might sound crazy, “Ty Breaker” is actually Pennington’s first HGTV series. He’s only appeared on the popular cable channel as a guest star over four episodes of the recently rebooted “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” which was hosted by “Modern Family” star Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

(If the “Ty Breaker” concept sounds familiar, by the way, it’s because home-renovation series are understandably running out of approaches. Also, it works.)

In each episode of “Ty Breaker,” Alison Victoria (“Windy City Rehab”), Grace Mitchell (“One of a Kind”) or Sabrina Soto (“The...

Ty Pennington is going from “Extreme Makeover” to a more considered one.

The carpenter, who rose to prominence last decade on the TLC program “Trading Spaces” and ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” will star in the HGTV series “Ty Breaker,” which is slated to debut in early 2021. The eight-episode series will follow Pennington as helps families in need decide whether to overhaul their current property or renovate a new one.

He will have some help. Alison Victoria, the interior designer known for her turns in “Windy City Rehab” and “Kitchen Crashers” will join with designer Grace Mitchell, from “One of a Kind,” and Sabrina Soto, the designer known for appearing in “The High/Low Project.” The trio will try to prod the family to choose something new, while Pennington will try to persuade them to stay in their current domicile.

“I am so happy to be back in my...

Fred Willard, comedic actor best known for “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman,” and, most recently as Phil Dunphy’s father on “Modern Family,” died Friday night of natural causes. He was 86.

“My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old. He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end,” his daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement. “We loved him so very much!”

Willard was a master at playing characters who weren’t the brightest of bulbs, a feat he perfected in Rob Reiner’s “This Is Spinal Tap,” along with a number of Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, including “Waiting for Guffman,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind” and “For Your Consideration.”

Also Read: Lynn Shelton, Director of 'Mad Men' and 'Glow' Episodes, Dies at 54

Guest’s wife, Jamie Lee Curtis,...

Designer Frank Bielec, who remodeled and redecorated rooms for eight seasons on TLC’s “Trading Spaces,” died on Friday at the age of 72.

Bielec’s passing was announced by TLC on Saturday morning, with the network tweeting that it will miss his “quirky style and wonderful sense of humor.”

A sad day for the TLC family as we learn of the passing of beloved Trading Spaces designer Frank Bielec. We will miss and remember him fondly, his quirky style and wonderful sense of humor. We share our love and condolences with the entire Bielec family at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/D9cozQeDM2

— TLC Network (@TLC) May 16, 2020

Bielec’s wife Judy told TMZ, the first outlet to report the news, he had suffered a heart attack on Thursday and was taken to a hospital to Katy, Texas, before being transferred to a hospital in Houston, where he later passed away.

Frank Bielec, a quirky interior designer who was a key part of the reality TV show Trading Spaces, has died at age 72. His death was confirmed by his wife, who said he passed on Friday at a Houston, Texas hospital.

Bielec was part of Trading Spaces between 2000 and 2008. The show involved swapping houses between two homeowners, who then would work with a team of designers to revamp a room on a $1,000 budget. Bielic’s funny, warm style was an instant hit with viewers.

He began his career as an elementary school teacher, teaching art and social studies. But he obtained a Master’s degree in art and design, then left teaching to become a florist for 20 years. He then went into the cross-stitch business with his wife, Judy.

His big break into television came when he was standing in for a demonstrator at a convention. There, he was approached by an Hgtv producer,...

Trading Spaces star Frank Bielec died at the age of 72 on Friday. Bielec's wife, Judy Bielec, told TMZ that her husband suffered a heart attack on Thursday and was pronounced dead the following day at a Houston hospital. The TLC Network also confirmed the death of the celebrated designer, taking to Twitter with a post memorializing the creative. "A sad day for the TLC family as we learn of the passing of beloved Trading Spaces designer Frank Bielec," the tweet read on Saturday morning. "We will miss and remember him fondly, his quirky style and wonderful sense of humor. We share our love and condolences with the entire Bielec family at this difficult time." In the time since his...

Frank Bielec, a designer on the TLC series “Trading Spaces,” died on Friday night after suffering a heart attack. He was 72.

TLC shared the news on the network’s Twitter account on Saturday morning.

“A sad day for the TLC family as we learn of the passing of beloved ‘Trading Spaces’ designer Frank Bielec. We will miss and remember him fondly, his quirky style and wonderful sense of humor. We share our love and condolences with the entire Bielec family at this difficult time,” TLC said.

A sad day for the TLC family as we learn of the passing of beloved Trading Spaces designer Frank Bielec. We will miss and remember him fondly, his quirky style and wonderful sense of humor. We share our love and condolences with the entire Bielec family at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/D9cozQeDM2

— TLC Network (@TLC) May 16, 2020

Bielec appeared on the home...

Frank Bielec, frequent Trading Spaces designer, died at the age of 72, TMZ reports.

Bielec passed away Friday, according to his wife, Judy, just one day after suffering a heart attack. He was originally taken to a hospital in Katy, Texas before being transferred to Houston for specialized treatment.

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A skilled designer best known for his work on the TLC show,...

Frank Bielec, a designer on the TLC series Trading Spaces, has died. He was 72.

The Discovery-owned channel shared the news of Bielec's death on Saturday morning with a post on Twitter.

"A sad day for the TLC family as we learn of the passing of beloved 'Trading Spaces' designer Frank Bielec. We will miss and remember him fondly, his quirky style and wonderful sense of humor. We share our love and condolences with the entire Bielec family at this difficult time," the network said.

Bielec’s wife Judy told TMZ he died at a Houston ...

Exclusive: Veteran reality TV agent Brian Speiser has joined ICM Partners.

Speiser moves to ICM Partners form Apa, where he was a partner and a leading packager in their Alternative & Factual programming division. He has packaged many successful series including A&e’s Emmy-winning Leah Remini: Scientology & the Aftermath.

Prior to joining Apa in 2012, Speiser co-founded the entertainment division of Ipg’s Octagon, where he executive produced the Emmy-nominated It Gets Better for MTV. He began his career in the William Morris Agency mail room in 2005.

Clients joining Speiser include Super Delicious (Food Network’s Cupcake Wars & Halloween Wars), Superjacket, Goodbye Pictures (Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Dallas), Ish Entertainment, Tremendous Entertainment and Wallfly (Quibi’s...

Tony Sokol Oct 23, 2019

Travel Channel lets the stars talk about supernatural encounters on Famously Afraid.

Stranger Things star Jake Busey got a personal glimpse at the upside down. R.J. Mitte of Breaking Bad experienced a horror greater than learning meth-kingpin Heisenberg was his father. Aubrey O’Day of Danity Kane encountered a creature as terrifying as Donald Trump Junior. Steve Guttenberg endured terror greater than all the Police Academy movies combined. Celebrities will share paranormal encounters on the upcoming Travel Channel series Famously Afraid. The new series premieres Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 10 p.m.

"Hollywood is no stranger to stories of the unexplained being played out on the big screen," reads the press statement. "But behind the scenes, some celebrities experience encounters with the unknown that are all too real. From haunted houses to real UFO sightings, to demonic possessions and beyond, these stories show that even celebrities can get spooked.

Writer and producer Neal Baer, P.J. Palmer, filmmaker/producer behind the critically-acclaimed Lgbtq drama series Anyone But Me, and La-based writer Michael J. Wolfe are teaming to develop The Mystery of the 1957 Gay Wedding Photos as a docuseries. The series is being produced by Endemol Shine North America-owned studio Authentic Entertainment, which is working closely with the teams at One Archives Foundation in Los Angeles & John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archives at the William Way Lgbt Community Center in Philadelphia.

The collection of photos, which are among the first to document a gay wedding, were printed circa 1957 at a neighborhood drugstore in North Philadelphia. The images, which are currently housed with One National Gay & Lesbian Archives at the University of Southern California Libraries and the John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archives, capture special moments between two men tying the knot, including an exchange of rings in front of witnesses,...

“ER” producer Neal Baer is among the creatives teaming with Endemol Shine North America’s Authentic Entertainment on a new unscripted series entitled “The Mystery of the 1957 Gay Wedding Photos.”

The series investigates a collection of photos which are among the first to document a gay wedding in the U.S., printed circa 1957 at a neighborhood drugstore in North Philadelphia. Filmmaker P.J. Palmer and writer Michael J. Wolfe are also developing the project with Baer.

The images capture special moments between two men tying the knot, including an exchange of rings in front of witnesses, an officiant leading the ceremony, and the first kiss. The owner of the drugstore allegedly judged the photos to be inappropriate and refused to return them to the wedding couple and now, some 60 years later, the images have resurfaced and have left people searching for answers as to who the men are.

“The Mystery of...

Georgia born Ty Pennington was in his late 30s when he shot to stardom as the supercute carpenter and all around nice guy, in the long-running home renovation show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" on ABC. Before the handsome handyman was moving buses on 'Extreme Makeover' ... Ty Pennington was also on the TLC show "Trading Spaces" from 2000 - 2003 where he only hooked up a single room in a family's home. Pennington parted ways with the hit...

Sky-owned Jupiter Entertainment has signed an overall co-production deal with veteran producer Chris Deaux and his Two Fifteen West Entertainment.

Under the pact, Deaux will create, develop and produce unscripted programming to be co-produced with Jupiter in the U.S. as well as internationally. Deaux and his team will be based in Los Angeles and work closely with New York-based Allison Wallach, President of Jupiter.

Deaux, who previously had a deal with eOne, has developed and created several successful formats, game shows, docuseries and premium documentaries, including The Rap Game (Lifetime), Atlanta Plastic (Lifetime), Hogs Gone Wild (Discovery), Rods N’ Wheels (Discovery), Married with Secrets (ID), King of Cones (Food) and the original cult hit format Trading Spaces (TLC), among others.

His most recent feature documentary The Last Western was an official opening night selection at SXSW. Via Two Fifteen West, a company he founded in 2016, Deaux has numerous...

In today’s TV news roundup, “This Is Us” will not air next week due to the State of the Union and USA reveals “Pearson,” a spin-off of “Suits.”

First Looks

USA has revealed the trailer for “Pearson,” an upcoming spinoff of legal drama “Suits” starring Gina Torres as lawyer Jessica Pearson. A recently disbarred NYC legal expert, Pearson moves to Chicago and must adjust to the dirty politics of the Windy City and her role as the mayor’s fixer. “Suits” creator and executive producer Aaron Korsh will serve with Daniel Arkin as executive producers. Rounding out the cast will be Morgan Spector, Bethany Joy Lenz, Simon Kassianides, Eli Goree, Isabel Arraiza and Chantel Riley.

Dates

NBC has announced that the next episode of “This Is Us” will air on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 9 p.m. to accommodate the State of the Union address. The season finale will be moved to Tuesday,...

CAA has signed Emmy-winning reality production company Authentic Entertainment for representation.

Authentic is behind unscripted hits such as Flipping Out, Ace of Cakes and Toddlers & Tiaras. Most recently, Authentic launched TLC’s successful reboot of Trading Spaces, which returned to record ratings.

Authentic has been part of Endemol Shine since its acquisition in 2010.

Authentic continues to be repped by attorney Jeanne Newman at Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller.

The company was previously repped by Apa.

Endemol Shine North America is looking to expand its footprint in first-run syndication, signing a deal with Essence Communications to develop a daytime television program aimed at diverse women.

The two companies are exploring opportunities in national syndication for a potential daily series, which would focus on topics aimed at a diverse female audience ranging from beauty and style, family, careers, entrepreneurship and community empowerment. The program is being developed with Raymond Garcia and his Major TV production company.

Essence Communications, the leading media, technology and e-commerce company dedicated to black women, has a multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online. Essence encompasses its signature magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; as well as live events, including the popular annual Essence Festival.

“When I first heard about the potential to partner with Essence, I knew immediately it would be the perfect fit for daytime,” said Michael Weinberg,...

Discovery Channel has handed executive vice president stripes to a pair of its executives.

Scott Lewers has been upped to Evp Multiplatform Programming and Digital Media, and Jennifer Williams now will serve in the newly created role of Executive Vice President of Global Talent Management and Brand Strategy and Operations, Discovery and Factual.

“Scott and Jennifer know what it takes for a network to run successfully,” said Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer at Discovery and Factual. “I’m thrilled to have Scott take on an even greater creative role as we build out our multiplatform and digital strategy. Jennifer has been my go-to person across the various network business areas, and I greatly rely on her strong and strategic point of view.”

Lewers most recently was Svp Multi-Platform Programming and Digital Media at TLC. He now will be responsible for Discovery’s content strategy and schedule, research/insights, multiplatform live...

Authentic Entertainment co-founder and CEO Lauren Lexton, an Emmy Award-winning reality TV and documentary producer, is set to leave the production company she co-founded 18 years ago. The move comes eight years after Endemol acquired Authentic; the company is now a division of Endemol Shine North America.

Authentic’s former head of development, Helga Eike, will take over for Lexton, returning to the company as its new President. Eike, who most recently launched Red Bandit Media with ITV America, previously spent 10 years at Authentic Entertainment as Svp, Development.

Lexton, who has fulfilled her obligation of staying on for at least five years after selling the company, is expected to take a break after her 18-year run at Authentic and handpicked her successor. Over the years, Lexton has worked on thousands of hours of programming that spans more than 80 shows for more than 20 different networks. She has overseen the creation and production...

Authentic Entertainment co-founder and CEO Lauren Lexton will exit the company after 18 years.

Authentic’s former head of development, Helga Eike, will take over for Lexton, returning as the Endemol Shine North America-owned company’s president. Eike most recently launched Red Bandit Media with ITV America. She previously spent 10 years at Authentic Entertainment as senior vice president of development. An individual with knowledge of the situation said that Lexton hand picked Eike as her replacement.

“Lauren has developed and produced some of the most iconic unscripted series of the last two decades and helped build Authentic Entertainment into one of the leading production companies in our industry,” said Endemol Shine North America CEO Cris Abrego. “We are all truly thankful for her many contributions. And while we say a fond farewell to Lauren, we are happy to welcome Helga back to the studio that she helped lead to tremendous success,...

Welcome to “Remote Controlled,” a podcast from Variety featuring the best and brightest in television, both in front of and behind the camera.

In this week’s episode, Variety‘s executive editor of TV Debra Birnbaum talked with a panel of reality stars and executives: Julie Chen (“Big Brother”), Ty Pennington (“Trading Spaces”), Lisa Vanderpump (“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” and “Vanderpump Rules”), Warner Horizon’s exec VP of alternative programming Brooke Karzen, and “America’s Got Talent” executive producer Sam Donnelly.

Listen to this week’s podcast for free below and at Apple Podcasts:

“Drama and conflict always sell, but on the other end of the spectrum, we love anything that’s inspiring,” said Chen of the secret to making a hit reality TV series. “We want to see dreams come true, stars being made.”

Asked about the biggest misconceptions about reality TV, the panelists all agreed: “That it’s scripted!

Looking for festivals to attend? Then continue reading, as we have details on Toronto's Fannibalfest and Poland's Splat!FilmFest, as well as acquisition news for Epidemic.

Fannibalfest 2018: Press Release: "Toronto, On, June 25, 2018 – The second annual FannibalFest will take place from October 11 - 14, 2018 at the Marriott Toronto Airport hotel.

Although the show went off the air in 2015, the Fannibals’ love remains strong, and it is this enthusiasm that’s at the heart of FannibalFest Toronto. Last year’s special guests included actor Aaron Abrams (Blindspot), Scott Thompson (The Kids in the Hall), Demore Barnes (12 Monkeys), and Martha DeLaurentiis (Red Dragon)

FannibalFest 2018 offers a wide variety of fun-filled, fan-centric events and activities, including:

● This year's lineup of special guests includes Hannibal Cast Member Hettienne Park (Beverly Katz), Hannibal Director Vincenzo Natali, artist and Hannibal food stylist Janice Poon, Hannibal fights/stunts coordinator Master Tommy Chang, and horror baker extraordinaire Annabel de...

Now that Discovery Inc. owns more cable networks, it’s hoping to get advertisers to buy more of them.

The company, which completed its $11.9 billion acquisition of Scripps Networks in March, is offering advertisers a package of 30 of its best-known series, guaranteeing first position in ad breaks in premiere episode of the shows and better reach among women between 25 and 54 than some programs that air on broadcast rivals. The Discovery series include “Deadliest Catch,” “Gold Rush,” “Queen Sugar,” “Chopped,” “Trading Spaces,” “On the Case with Paula Zahn,” “Shark Week”, “90 Day Fiancé,” “People Magazine Investigates,” “Property Bros.,” “House Hunters” and “Iron Chef Gauntlet.”

With more viewing of scripted programming taking place via DVR playback or through Svod services, says Jon Steinlauf, Discovery’s chief U.S. advertising sales officer, Discovery sees an edge to selling its many hours of non-fiction programming. The new package will not include repeat broadcasts.

Discovery’s...

Variety’s Tune In! TV Summit brought together network presidents, CMOs, talent, showrunners, producers and more to discuss the future of TV content and the fast-evolving media landscape. Speakers at the daylong conference, held Wednesday at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills, included such boldface names Judd Apatow, Mark Burnett, Bill Hader, Norman Lear, “Handmaid’s Tale” trouper Samira Wiley, “Big Brother” host Julie Chen, “Vanderpump Rules” star Lisa Vanderpump, “Trading Spaces” co-star Ty Pennington, and “Looming Tower’s” Bill Camp.

Here are 10 takeaways from the summit:

Samira Wiley on Representing Gay Black Women in “The Handmaid’s Tale”

Wiley, who plays Moira, best friend to Elisabeth Moss’ Offred on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” spoke about modernizing Margaret Atwood’s novel during a panel examining Hulu’s casting of that show and others. Bill Camp of 9/11 drama series “The Looming Tower” was also on hand. Wiley said she was drawn to...

In today’s roundup, TLC has renewed “Trading Spaces” and Showtime has announced the return of “Our Cartoon President.”

Casting

Maxwell Simkins and Elie Samouhi have joined season three of Disney Channel’s live-action comedy “Bizaardvark.” Simkins and Samadhi will star as tween bloggers Zane and Rodney, respectively, who have their own Vuuugle channels – Zane’s “Zane Unboxed” and Rodney’s “What’s in M’ Hair” – that they each run with their moms. They will join the cast that includes Olivia Rodrigo, Madison Hu, and DeVore Ledridge.

Renewals

TLC has renewed home makeover show “Trading Spaces” for a second season, its 10th season overall. The series, which will air its current season finale on June 2, will resume production for the new season this summer with an expanded episode order. Homeowner casting is currently underway for the season, which will air in early 2019.

SundanceTV and BBC One announced that Abi Morgan...

Just ahead of the Season 1 finale, TLC has picked up a second season of its hit home makeover show Trading Spaces, its tenth season overall. Casting is underway for premiere in early 2019. TLC says Season 2 will be an expanded episode order beyond Season 1’s eight episodes. The exact number of episodes is still being determined.

The revival of TLC’s signature 2000s reality competition series has been a ratings success for the network. The return season of Trading Spaces currently ranks #1 in cable in its premiere time period among key women W25-54/18-49 demos. Driven by the revival series, TLC ranked as the No. 2 cable network on Saturday night with W25-54 in 2Q18 to-date.

“The response to the revival of Trading Spaces, from longtime devotees to newfound superfans alike, has been seismic, and we are proud to continue the celebration in 2019,” said Howard Lee, President and General Manager of TLC,...

TLC has renewed its “Trading Spaces” revival for another season, which will be No. 2 of this new version and Season 10 overall.

Production is slated to begin this summer. The series will return to TLC in early 2019 with even more episodes than this current run got.

“The response to the revival of ‘Trading Spaces,’ from longtime devotees to newfound superfans alike, has been seismic, and we are proud to continue the celebration in 2019,” said Howard Lee, president and general manager of TLC, in making today’s announcement. “We look forward to our designers and carpenters bringing more color, design risk and most of all, fun, into homes across the country in the upcoming season.”

These days on “Trading Spaces,” two sets of neighbors trade rooms for two days and — with the help of a...

Ben Price, the ad-sales executive who rose to oversee all of Discovery Communications U.S. ad sales as part of a 25-plus-year career, will step down from his post, the latest change at the large media company in the wake of its recent merger with Scripps Networks.

“Following a remarkable 28-year career at Discovery, Ben Price has decided to leave the company at the conclusion of the upcoming Upfront selling season. Ben has been instrumental in building Discovery’s strong reputation in the marketplace with clients and agency partners, securing major ad sales agreements across all of our brands, and mentoring and developing hundreds of ad sales executives in his nearly 30 years with the company,” said Discovery CEO David Zaslav in a recent memo to staffers. “Most importantly, Ben is a class act…one of the most trusted and well-regarded ad sales executives in the business and one of the...

In today’s roundup, Netflix announced the series finale date for “Sense8,” and the first video from digital series “Skam Austin” was uploaded to Facebook Watch.

Dates

The “Sense8” series finale special will launch globally on Netflix on June 8. Netflix released key art for the series finale with the tagline “Together Until The End.” The group will have to come together to protect the future of all Sensates. See the artwork below.

First Looks

“Skam Austin” released its first video on Facebook Watch on Tuesday. The series uses a new style of digital storytelling to show the issues that teenagers face today. The content is shared daily in real-time on the show’s page, with all the content being combined for Friday episodes. The first episode will be uploaded on April 27. Watch the clip below.

Announcements

“Big Little Lies” star Laura Dern and #MeToo Movement founder Tarana Burke will headline...

Korin Huggins and Monique Nash’s Kronicle Media has signed a development deal with Authentic Entertainment to develop and produce character-driven content for and about women from diverse perspectives.

The companies say the deal will solidify a collaboration on both documentary and unscripted projects that share the two companies’ passion for great storytelling and authentic worlds. The pact was announced Tuesday by Lauren Lexton, CEO and co-founder of Authentic Entertainment.

Authentic, a subsidiary of Endemol Shine North America, is the production company behind such unscripted hits as Flipping Out, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and the recent successful return of Trading Spaces for TLC. Kronicle Media was formed last year by former Will Packer Productions executives Korin D. Huggins and Monique Nash.

“We are truly excited to be teaming up with Korin and Monique to develop and produce original content focused on diverse female voices,” Authentic’s Lexton said. “We...

“Trading Spaces” returned to TLC and brought the network’s largest Saturday night audience in eight years.

The premiere episode of the home design show was the most-watched show on TV across the entire night, with 2.8 million total viewers, besting the season premiere of the CBS drama “Ransom” and the HBO’s “Paterno” biopic starring Al Pacino.

The episode was preceded by an hourlong reunion special, which also won its timeslot with 2.5 million total viewers. Together, the two shows earned the Discovery-owned network its most-watched Saturday night block in since 2010.

Also Read: 'Trading Spaces' Host Paige Davis 'Really Liked' That 'Prison of Love' Bedroom - for Real

“Trading Spaces” was revived by TLC after a decade off the air, with original host Paige Davis returning, as well as designers and carpenters Doug Wilson, Carter Oosterhouse, Frank Bielec, Genevieve Gorder, Hildi Santo-Tomas, Laurie Smith, Ty Pennington and Vern Yip. New cast members include Brett Tutor, Joanie Dodd, John Gidding, Kahi Lee and Sabrina Soto.

It is produced by Authentic Entertainment, a subsidiary of Endemol Shine North America

Read original story ‘Trading Spaces’ Hands TLC Its Highest-Rated Saturday in 8 Years At TheWrap...

After the Trading Spaces reboot aired this past Saturday April 7 on TLC, it's safe to say that everyone's favorite design show is back and better than ever. The audience reception has been so outstanding, in fact, that everyone and their mother is asking, "Where can I watch Trading Spaces?" Fortunately, we've got just the answer. Considering that the original series ran from 2000 to 2008, there are plenty of episodes floating around the Internet. That said, a majority of them are only available for purchase on Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, and Google Play. If you're looking to steam both new and old episodes for free, the only place to do so is the official TLC Trading Spaces homepage. The latest episode, "Not Our First Rodeo" is already available to stream! Beyond that, there are 22 classic episodes available to watch including fan-favorites like "Los Angeles: North Cherokee Avenue," "Raleigh: Legging Lane," and "Washington, DC: Acker Place.

Paige Davis has seen hundreds of room transformations from her years hosting “Trading Spaces.” And though the vast majority resulted in beloved transformations, a handful of the redesigned rooms were hated by the homeowners.

Yes, you all know about the room with hay-covered walls, and our readers have probably watched this woman break down over her new-look fireplace, but Davis can’t possibly defend the “Prison of Love” bedroom, could she? After all, it had two friggin’ toilets supporting a bench, jail-cell bars covering the windows, and a terrifying mural that would make one want to return to a nightmare.

“I actually thought that room was really neat! I really liked it,” Davis told TheWrap. “I did!”

Ok, Paige, maybe you shouldn’t be considered a tastemaker.

Also Read: Hgtv 'Home Town' Producer Brandon Davis Dies, Host Erin Napier Says

“The true, original concept is that ‘I know my neighbors and I know that they’re stuck,'” Davis explained. “‘Their home doesn’t represent the people that I know anymore. They’re stuck in the past or they’re too afraid to move forward, and I can envision for them the home that they should have, and I think they should trust me, and I’m gonna trust them, and we’re gonna trade.'”

“But for pure logistical [reasons] — out of absolute necessity, the designers need to plan and shop the room ahead of time,” she added.

That kinda kills the purity pitch about personal touches provided by a neighbor. But “Trading Spaces” certainly isn’t the only reality show to liberally bend the word “reality” — it was just among the first and most popular.

And those few gaudy rooms you couldn’t bear to watch the reveals of? The host has an excuse for her designers that we can kind of buy.

Also Read: 'Property Brothers' Jonathan Scott and Drew Scott Ink New Multiyear Deal With Hgtv

“It’s a little bit the same as seeing a high-fashion runway show, of couture. Or flipping through the pages of Vogue,” Davis said. “And I don’t mean that as the ‘Trading Spaces’ rooms are high-end — I mean it like they’re very high concept. So, you might see some crazy couture fashion design image in a Vogue magazine, with the crazy makeup. And you look at that picture and say to yourself, ‘Who the hell would ever wear that?'”

“Well, the ‘Trading Spaces’ rooms are very much like that, too. They often — not always — but some of them are out-of-the-box ideas and what some people would think are crazy ideas,” she continued. “They’re meant to inspire you.”

And to inspire high ratings, we imagine, from viewers saying to themselves, “Who the hell would ever sleep there?”

“Trading Spaces” returns to TLC on Saturday at 9/8c.

Read original story ‘Trading Spaces’ Host Paige Davis ‘Really Liked’ That ‘Prison of Love’ Bedroom – for Real At TheWrap...

Set your DVRs, y’all. The reboot for TLC’s iconic show Trading Spaces — which originally ran from 2000 to 2008 — finally has a premiere date! The hit home design series officially returns on Saturday, April 7, at 9 p.m. Est. Back in January, fans were treated to a first glimpse of the upcoming revival on Trading Spaces’ official Facebook page. In the preview (which has racked up millions of views), we see the original crew back in action. Yep, beloved host Paige Davis and sexy carpenters Ty Pennington and Carter Oosterhouse — along with more of your favorites — are part of the new series. The sneak peek promises "more outrageous moments" and even "more Omg reveals." In a February interview with Kansas City Spaces, Paige, 48, opened up about what viewers can expect from Trading Spaces 2.0. "It won’t be very different," she said. "It really is the show everybody loves. The budget is different,...