Yahoo News Why 'Rock the Block' Host Ty Pennington Calls the New Teams "Fish Out of Water"
Rock the Block is back for its sixth season, and this time, the beloved HGTV series is filled with twists. We sat down with returning host Ty Pennington to get a preview of new season, from the updated "Rookies vs. Veterans" format to the new-and-improved judging rules. But, fear not: As usual, the show is packed with incredible designs, playful competition, and some of our favorite stars in the realm of renovation.
With a history in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Trading Spaces, Ty is an expert in a winning formula for engaging television. This season, he's assembled a dream team of designers—veterans Jonathan Knight (Farmhouse Fixer) and his brother Jordan and Alison Victoria (Windy City Rehab) and Michel Smith Boyd (Luxe for Less) and rookies Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama (Renovation Aloha) and Chelsea and Cole DeBoer (Down Home Fab)—to compete for the ultimate Rock the Block bragging rights. Here, Ty gives us a sneak peek at what's to come.
On the team to beat
The competition is stacked with skilled HGTV designers, but the team to beat just might be Alison and Michel. Michel already has a Rock the Block win under his belt, and Alison is back for her third time. On paper, they seem like the early favorite. Ty says, "Alison is so competitive, and she is definitely determined to win. Like this woman is the most competitive woman I've ever met—and I've met a lot of competitive women. But then Michel Boyd—he may act like he's polite, but he is a stone cold killer. This guy is so good, And his color palette is so rich, and he's all all about the textures as well."
But Alison and Michel certainly don't have the win in the bag. Ty says, "They're big city slickers competing in Utah against people like the DeBoers, who are from farm life, you know, raising farm animals and barn buildings, and then you've got the Kalamas, coming all the way from Hawaii, which is island life."
He continues, "So you got this variety pack, not to mention the Knight brothers who are more New England sort of Cape Cod style. Everybody is a fish out of water. You've got your design look book, and this is all about what you've been waiting to showcase. Can it work in a home in Utah?"
On the rookie advantage
Yes, Alison, Michel, and Jonathan have all been on the show before. But do the rookies have any advantage over their more seasoned counterparts? Ty promises, "You're going to be blown away at what some of these rookies have done too."
He says they do have a leg up because "they have no idea how hard it's going to be. They find that out once they get there. The veterans have been there before and know how hard this is. Ignorance is bliss, and I think you can keep your joy longer knowing, 'Oh it can't get any worse!' and then it does. But for a seasoned veteran, they're like, 'I knew it was gonna be this bad and I still did it.' I think sometimes the advantage for the rookies is they're just caught up in a tornado. They're just trying to survive but also trying to make the best decisions they can."
On the NKOTB connection
And what about Jordan? Jon brought along his brother and New Kids on the Block bandmate after the two joined forces for Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp. Ty says, "I didn't realize he was so dry and funny. He's got some great little zingers, you know, but at the same time he does not like to lose. He's not like a guy who will give up. I love that that they work pretty well together. I find that amazing cause, like, me working with my brother would be like, oh my God, like going to the dentist. But these guys work really well together."
He explains, "I mean, look, they've been working together since the early 80s, so it makes sense that they're very good at at working together."
On the show's challenging format
Designing a 5,500-square-foot home in just six weeks comes with some serious challenges. Ty calls it "the hardest show you'll ever go through." In fact, Alison's decision to return for a third season had him in disbelief. He says, "I cannot believe Alison said she was [coming back]. I was like, 'What? She's really gonna do it. Oh my God.' So then I was like, 'Wow, we're going to need a lot of water.' She's gonna have to stay hydrated because you don't want her angry."
He continues, "But whether you win or lose, you walk away with a thing you'll be most proud of because you achieved goals, you made the best decisions in the short amount of time that you had and you also probably did better design than you ever will on any other project."
Rock the Block premieres on April 14 with a two-hour episode. Tune in to HGTV at 9 p.m. EST/8 p.m. CST, or stream the next day on Max.
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