HGTV Orders ‘Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge’ Series as Part of Cross-Network Summer Promo for Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ Movie (EXCLUSIVE)
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HGTV is about to make Barbie fans’ dreams come true with the ultimate home-reno series based on everyone’s favorite doll: “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge.”
Premiering this summer, the Ashley Graham-hosted four-episode event is launching ahead of the July 21 release of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie as part of a giant cross-network promotion across Warner Bros. Discovery linear channels to support the much-anticipated Warner Bros. Pictures film.
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“Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge” will feature eight teams of HGTV superstars (and one Food Network star) as they transform a Southern California home into a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse, as supermodel Graham — who has her own Barbie modeled after her and will be driving a Barbie pink corvette on the show — hosts. The teams will overhaul areas of the home with an era-specific style, such as an early 1960s atomic age kitchen, a ‘70s disco vibe for Ken’s Den and a main bedroom decked out in ‘80s glam.
The show will culminate with one lucky Barbie fan winning the chance to stay in the home.
The teams featured on the series include: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson (“Married to Real Estate”); Jasmine Roth (“Help! I Wrecked My House”) and Food Network star Antonia Lofaso (“Beachside Brawl”); Ty Pennington (“Rock the Block”) and Alison Victoria (“Windy City Rehab”); Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin (“Farmhouse Fixer”); Christina Hall (“Christina on the Coast”) and James Bender (“Christina on the Coast”); Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas (“Bargain Block”); Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt (“100 Day Dream Home”); and Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle Williams (“Luxe for Less”).
“We are now part of the bigger Warner Bros. Discovery world and the ‘Barbie’ movie has got such buzz already that we thought, what can we do to really amplify that on one of our networks?” Kathleen Finch, chairman and chief content officer of U.S. Networks Group at Warner Bros. Discovery, told Variety. “We had great luck a number of years ago when we bought and remodeled the ‘Brady Bunch’ house. So we’re putting that same sort of hat on as we do this idea. And we have got the biggest cast of HGTV stars we’ve ever assembled for one show. Plus, we’ve pulled in some Food Network talent because we’re going to do some content across other networks in celebration of this big event. And we’re just going to spend the summer being all things Barbie across, not only Food Network and HGTV, but the entire Warner Bros. portfolio with the movie coming out.”
As for whether you’ll see Gerwig and “Barbie” movie stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling (Barbie and Ken themselves) show up on “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge,” stay tuned: “We’re still finalizing talent involvement, but we have plans to do a pink carpet event to wrap up the end of the series,” Finch said. “We don’t have the exact list of who is going to be involved, but we are working very closely with our partners at the at the film group to get them involved.”
Elsewhere at Warner Bros. Discovery, Food Network will be integrating Barbie-inspired elements into shows including “Beachside Brawl,” and HGTV Magazine will run a multi-page editorial profile on “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge” and Gerwig’s “Barbie” film.
“By aligning two admired brands – HGTV and Mattel’s Barbie – and mobilizing the power of the best-in-class portfolio of Warner Bros. Discovery, ‘Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge’ will deliver a unique, visually stunning payoff for millions of fans who want to see their favorite HGTV stars bring a treasured childhood icon to life,” Loren Ruch, head of content at HGTV, said.
Graham added: “I cannot wait to see Barbie’s signature style get the life-sized treatment in an actual home. She holds such a special place in my heart, especially since Mattel created a one-of-a-kind doll of me back in 2016. It feels like such a full circle moment now that I have a hand in the creation of her real-life ‘Dreamhouse.’”
“Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge” is produced by Mission Control and Mattel Television.
See a teaser announcing the new series below.
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