Ty Pennington

Last updated
Ty Pennington
Ty Pennington.jpg
Pennington in 2006
Born
Gary Tygert Burton [1]

(1964-10-19) October 19, 1964 (age 60)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. [2]
Occupation(s)TV host/presenter, artist, author
Years active1995–present
Spouse
Kellee Merrell
​
(m. 2021)​
Website http://www.typennington.com

Tygert Burton "Ty" Pennington (born Gary Tygert Burton; October 19, 1964) is an American television host, artist, carpenter, author, and former model and actor. [3] [4]

Contents

His rise to prominence began with his role as carpenter on the TLC home improvement reality show Trading Spaces (2000–2003), and continued when he hosted the ABC reality series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2003–2012), where he won two Primetime Emmy Awards. [5] Following the show's conclusion in 2012, Pennington has focused on numerous other projects, including host of ABC's short lived talk show The Revolution in 2012, TNT's On the Menu opposite Emeril Lagasse in 2014 and Food Network's American Diner Revival opposite Amanda Freitag from 2015 to 2016. On September 13, 2017, it was announced that Pennington was joining the revival of Trading Spaces, which began airing on April 7, 2018, on TLC. [6]

Early life

Pennington was born Gary Tygert Burton, the son of Yvonne Vickery. [1] Yvonne separated from Ty's father when he and his older brother Wynn were very young, and spent several years as a single parent before she remarried. Her new husband adopted both boys, giving them his surname Pennington. Ty claims to be of partial Cherokee descent. [7]

Education

A self-described "Jack of all trades", [8] Pennington learned woodworking early in life and began teaching himself about carpentry and home improvement. After attending Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia, he first attended Kennesaw State University, where he majored in art and history. He paid his way through college by taking night classes and working during the day, first working in landscaping before moving into construction. [9] Despite his skills in carpentry, Pennington initially decided that carpentry wasn't something he wanted to do professionally, noting his main interests were in becoming an artist, specializing in Graphic Design. [10] On the advice of one of his professors, he transferred to the Art Institute of Atlanta, from where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in graphic design. [10]

Career

Television

Pennington parlayed his hands-on skills and design acumen into a career in the entertainment industry, becoming a set designer, including for Leaving Las Vegas in 1995. In 2003, he acted in the independent film, The Adventures of Ociee Nash (as "Wilbur Wright"). However, his professional breakthrough came through The Learning Channel's (now known as simply TLC) innovative hit show Trading Spaces . In each episode, two sets of neighbors redecorated one room in each other's home. Both teams in early seasons shared one carpenter, while later on, each team had a carpenter. Pennington was featured as one of the show's original carpenters, and quickly became a show favorite.

In 2003, when ABC began developing a show that would rehab the homes of deserving families in seven days or less, Pennington was chosen as the leader of the eight-person design team. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition , originally planned to be a 13-part special, became a huge hit, catapulting Pennington to stardom. This led to an endorsement deal with Sears, a sponsor of the show. Pennington was extremely dedicated to the show, spending on average 240 days of the year working, and was known to have fought off anything from pulled muscles to heatstroke to food poisoning to keep doing his job.[ citation needed ] He stated that his career on the show resulted in the channel's commissioning Ty Pennington's Great British Adventure , in which he worked with communities including Portreath, Cornwall (UK) to restore a run-down town park in a week and Portishead, Somerset (UK) to renovate the town's derelict outdoor pool into a community-run Lido. The series was shown from September 16, 2008. [11]

When Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ended in 2012 with its ninth season, Pennington had helped rebuild more than 200 homes for the show. Afterwards, Pennington relocated from Los Angeles to New York City, where he was cast to take part in the lifestyle-based talk show The Revolution, which aired on ABC in January 2012. When the show was cancelled after six months, Ty began pursuing other goals.

In January 2021, HGTV debuted Ty Breaker, a show [12] that features Pennington helping families struggling to make their homes work for their changing lives.

Pennington joined the HGTV renovation competition series, Rock The Block, as host for its 2nd season, [13] which premiered on March 8, 2021, and has continued in that role since. He is currently hosting the 5th season of the show, which premiered in March of 2024. [14] [ needs update ]

Pennington is also the host of HGTV show Battle on the Beach, a competition real estate show with 3 teams that renovate a beach home room by room, alongside Alison Victoria, and Taniya Nayak. [15]

Other work

Prior to his partnership with Sears, Pennington was the owner and designer of his company, Furniture Unlimited, based in Atlanta and Los Angeles. He also lends his name to Sears, with their design team guiding the design of every item in the Ty Pennington Style line of bedding, tabletop items, bath accessories, furniture, patio furniture, and other miscellaneous home decor.[ citation needed ]

Pennington published Ty's Tricks: Home Repair Secrets Plus Cheap and Easy Projects to Transform Any Room (2003), a do-it-yourself guide on home improvement. On May 15, 2007, he released the first issue of his quarterly magazine Ty Pennington at Home, which ran until 2009.

On July 25, 2008, he announced a 3-year partnership with Marketplace Events, the largest organizer of consumer remodeling, home decor and gardening shows in North America. [16]

He appeared on an episode of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! playing a fictionalized version of himself named Ty Ty The Tool Guy.

In September 2008, Pennington became the spokesperson for Abbott Nutrition and their baby formula packaging innovation called Similac SimplePac. [17] He was also involved with the Similac Custom Nursery Design Contest and Ty's Nursery Guide that were part of the new product marketing.[ citation needed ]

In September 2011, Pennington appeared in an episode of Disney's Take Two with Phineas and Ferb .

In February 2014, Pennington became the spokesperson for Guaranteed Rate and has been featured in a series of commercials and ads for the Chicago-based mortgage lender. [18]

Since April 2024, Pennington is a brand ambassador for Karndean Designflooring. [19] [20] [21]

ADHD

As a child, Pennington was plagued with behavioral problems until he was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 17. [22] [23] He also discussed his ADHD with Glenn Beck [24] and in the movie The Disruptors. [25] Pennington has partnered with Shire plc to raise awareness of ADHD in adults and promote the use of Vyvanse for the treatment of adult ADHD. He has been criticized for promoting the use of ADHD medications such as Adderall without disclosing his sponsorship. [26]

Personal life

Pennington was arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles on May 5, 2007 with a blood alcohol content of .14 percent. He faced 6 months in jail. [27] [28] He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3 years probation. [29] [30] In July 2021, Pennington announced his engagement to his girlfriend of one year, Kellee Merrell. They got married on November 27, 2021 in Savannah, Georgia. [31]

Books

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Durie</span> Australian television presenter (born 1970)

Jamie Paul Durie is an Australian horticulturalist and landscape designer, furniture designer, television host, television producer, and author of eleven books on landscape architecture, garden design and lifestyle. He is the founder and director of a design company PATIO Landscape Architecture and Durie Design and also is a 2008 Gold Medal winner at Britain's prestigious Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show in Chelsea, London for Australian Garden and designed by Durie. As of 2018, Durie has hosted more than 50 design shows around the world.

<i>Trading Spaces</i> American television reality program

Trading Spaces is an hour-long American television reality program that originally aired from 2000 to 2008 on the cable channels TLC and Discovery Home. The format of the show was based on the BBC TV series Changing Rooms. The first iteration ran for eight seasons. A revival began airing on April 7, 2018, with several team members of the original run returning.

While You Were Out is an American reality series that aired episodes on the cable channel TLC. The format of the show is similar to TLC's Trading Spaces. While You Were Out adds a suspenseful gimmick by keeping the entire redecoration a secret from the homeowner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genevieve Gorder</span> American television host and interior designer

Genevieve Gorder is an American television host and interior designer. She was one of the Designers on Trading Spaces, She hosted Bravo's Best Room Wins. Previously, she hosted Stay Here on Netflix, Genevieve's Renovation, "White House Christmas," and Dear Genevieve on HGTV and judged HGTV's Design Star.

<i>Extreme Makeover: Home Edition</i> American reality television series

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is an American reality television series that aired from February 15, 2004, to January 13, 2012, on ABC and in 2020 on HGTV. It premiered on January 2, 2025, for its tenth season on ABC and its eleventh season overall. The series is a spin-off of Extreme Makeover that features a family that has faced some sort of hardship, having their home completely remodeled to better suit their exact needs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nate Berkus</span> American interior designer (born 1971)

Nathan Jay Berkus is an American interior designer, author, and television personality. He runs the Chicago interior design firm Nate Berkus Associates and was a regularly featured guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, offering design advice to viewers as well as coordinating surprise make-overs for people's homes. He has released numerous lines of products and authored several books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul DiMeo</span>

Paul DiMeo is an American television personality, philanthropist, building designer, and carpenter who was a regular cast member of the reality television series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Daniel Charles Kucan is an American carpenter, artist, interior designer, actor, writer, and television personality on the Emmy Award-winning TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Design on a Dime is a decorating television series that aired on HGTV from 2003 to 2013. In this long-running series, a design team demonstrates how problem areas can be revitalized on a budget of only $1,000. The show was based in Chicago, IL. and featured a rotation of design teams and hosts. Later episodes featured designer Casey Noble using innovative solutions to the toughest makeover scenarios and with a bigger budget of $2,500. There were a few variations, including episodes highlighting a $3,000 wedding, Christmas, a special "Etsy" episode, and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vern Yip</span> American television personality (born 1968)

Vern Yip is an American interior designer based in Atlanta, Georgia. He periodically appeared on TLC's Trading Spaces through its fourth season, and was known for frequently including silk, candles and flowers in the rooms he designed. He is one of the panel of judges on HGTV's Design Star. Yip hosted four seasons of HGTV's show Deserving Design. Yip hosted an HGTV special called Urban Oasis, in which he designed a Chicago loft in the Trump International Hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carter Oosterhouse</span> American television personality and former model

Carter Nicholas Oosterhouse is an American television personality and former model, who was born in Traverse City, Michigan. He first gained national fame as a carpenter on the TLC series Trading Spaces and has hosted other home improvement and how-to television shows. In 2008, he was host of three HGTV network shows: Carter Can, Red Hot & Green, and Million Dollar Rooms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Bromstad</span> American designer and television personality

David Reed Bromstad is an American designer and television personality. In 2006, he became the winner of the debut season of HGTV Design Star. He has hosted a number of HGTV shows, including Color Splash, Beach Flip and My Lottery Dream Home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Sanders (TV personality)</span>

Ed Sanders is an English carpenter, actor, and television host.

HGTV Design Star season 3 was the third season of the American reality TV home design show HGTV Design Star. The season first aired from 8 June to 3 August 2008 on HGTV in 9 weekly episodes. The season was hosted by Clive Pearse and the judges were designers Vern Yip and Cynthia Rowley. The final challenge involved renovating houses damaged during Hurricane Katrina and the winner was chosen in a vote open to viewers. The winner was Jennifer Bertrand, who won her own TV show on HGTV called Paint-Over! with Jennifer Bertrand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen De La Paz</span> Puerto Rico-born American TV personality

Carmen Nery De La Paz is an American television personality, interior/exterior designer, wood turner, welder, and professional cook.

Love It or List It Vancouver, known as Love It or List it Too in the United States, is a Canadian home design reality television series airing on the W Network. The show was the first spin off from Love It or List It and was the second show in the Love it or List It franchise. The show is produced by Big Coat Productions and is based in the Greater Vancouver area and other surrounding areas in British Columbia, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Brothers Global</span> American production company

Scott Brothers Global is the international entertainment production company founded by brothers and partners Jonathan and Drew Scott. The company has its origins in Dividian Production Group, an independent film company that the twins, along with their older brother JD, founded in 2002. Dividian Production Group became Scott Brothers Entertainment in 2010, before coming under the umbrella of Scott Brothers Global in 2017.

<i>Property Brothers</i> (franchise) Canadian television franchise

The Property Brothers franchise is a Canadian media franchise that stars Canadian twins Jonathan and Drew Scott and centers around the selling, purchasing, and renovation of real estate property. The shows also often guest star their older brother J.D. Their first program is Property Brothers—initially produced by Cineflix Media—and has aired on the W Network and HGTV Canada in its country of origin, on HGTV in the US, and on other networks in over 150 countries. The success of this show led to spin-off series, several web series, a how-to book, a radio show, and an app. Strategy magazine named the Property Brothers its 2013 Brand of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chayse Dacoda</span>

Chayse Dacoda is an American born interior designer, product designer, host, spokesperson and comedienne. She is best known for her work on TLC's While You Were Out which was nominated for an Emmy, HGTV's Get it Together and NBC's & LxTV's Show Open House. She also has designed rugs for Jaipur Rugs in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HGTV (British and Irish TV channel)</span> Television channel about homes and gardens

HGTV is a British free-to-air interior home and garden-orientated lifestyle television channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, currently owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel originally launched on 1 November 1997 as UK Style and then was rebranded to Home on 30 April 2009 and was rebranded to its current form on 21 January 2020. HGTV is broadcast 24 hours a day on Sky. UK Style was transmitted by terrestrial provider ITV Digital 24 hours a day until the company's collapse in 2002. After a slight rebrand to UKTV Style, the channel made a return to terrestrial screens for a time in the mid-2000s as part of the now-defunct Top Up TV system. Before 2016, HGTV was a pay channel. Home became available as a free-to-air linear service on Freeview from 1 March 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 "the real reason Ty Pennington changed his name". 29 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  2. ↑ Brody, Ambrosia V. (2021-09-21). "What Ty Pennington Did Before He Was Famous". TheList.com. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  3. ↑ "Pennington, Ty 1965- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  4. ↑ "Here's What Really Happened To Ty Pennington". House Digest. September 6, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Ty Pennington". Television Academy. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  6. ↑ "Ty Pennington, Carter Oosterhouse Return to 'Trading Spaces'". Usmagazine.com. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  7. ↑ "Ty's Take: My Turquoise Necklaces ‹ Ty Pennington". typennington.com. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  8. ↑ West, Latoya. "Ty Pennington Biodata". Realitytv.about.com. Archived from the original on 2017-05-14. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  9. ↑ "Q&A with home design expert Ty Pennington". Indystar.com. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Ty Pennington Biography - life, family, parents, story, history, mother, young, book, old, born, college - Newsmakers Cumulation". Notablebiographies.com. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  11. ↑ "About Home". UKTV. 2015-08-11. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  12. ↑ Corbett, Kelly (2020-12-10). "Ty Pennington Will Make His HGTV Debut Next Month With New Show 'Ty Breaker'". House Beautiful. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  13. ↑ "Rock the Block : Programs : HGTV: Discovery Press Web".
  14. ↑ "HGTV RENEWS POPULAR RENOVATION COMPETITION SERIES 'ROCK THE BLOCK' FOR a NEW SEASON – Discovery, Inc". 2024.
  15. ↑ "21 Best Real Estate Shows To Watch in 2023 !". agentwealthhustle.com. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-04-26.
  16. ↑ "Market Leading Consumer Events". Marketplace Events. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  17. ↑ "Abbott Nutrition - Abbott-Innovates-Inside-and-Out-with-New-Similac-Infant-Formula-and-Packaging". Archived from the original on 2008-09-26. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  18. ↑ "Guaranteed Rate National Television Commercials with Ty Pennington Debut This Week- GuaranteedRate.com". Guaranteed Rate. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  19. ↑ "Karndean Teams Up With Ty Pennington | Features | Floor Covering Weekly". www.floorcoveringweekly.com. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  20. ↑ Salzano-Birch, Megan (2024-04-29). "Karndean elevates luxury vinyl with Ty Pennington partnership". Floor Covering News. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  21. ↑ "Karndean Designflooring Teams Up With Ty Pennington | News". www.karndeancommercial.com. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  22. ↑ "Ty Pennington's Extreme ADHD Makeover". 15 April 2017.
  23. ↑ "Celebrities with ADHD: Ty Pennington". 27 February 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13 – via YouTube.
  24. ↑ "Glenn interviews Ty Pennington". 22 July 2008.
  25. ↑ The Disruptors (2022) - IMDb , retrieved 2022-07-12
  26. ↑ Schwarz, Alan (14 December 2013). "The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder". The New York Times.
  27. ↑ "Pennington: DUI Arrest Is "Wake-Up Call"". CBS News. May 7, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Extreme Makeover: Jailhouse Edition". ABC News. May 7, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Ty Pennington get 3 years probation". People Magazine. 25 May 2007.
  30. ↑ "Ty Pennington pleads no contest in DUI case". Today.com. May 25, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Ty Pennington Announces Engagement To Kellee Merrell: 'Glad I Waited For The One'". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.