What Happened To Ty Pennington After Extreme Makeover: Home Edition?
When "Trading Spaces" premiered in 2000, fans were introduced to a hunky handyman named Ty Pennington. TLC's hit reality show spawned the renovation craze — on a budget — but after three seasons, the carpenter was outta there. "I had to quit that job because I knew I was worth more than I was being paid," he told People of the low-budget show. "I took a real ballsy move, and I quit the best job I'd ever been given because I was sort of insulted."
By 2003, Pennington was the host of ABC's splashier "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which scored him two Emmy Awards. The show was another hit, but it was canceled in 2012. In 2020, Pennington made a return as a guest star when the show was briefly rebooted with Jesse Tyler Ferguson as the host. At the time, he gave Ferguson his blessing to take over the life-changing home renovation show. "I shouldn't hog all the good vibes," Pennington cracked to TMZ. "... Besides, I'm too old for that now."
But where was Pennington before he decided to share the good vibes? In a 2021 interview on "Tamron Hall," Ty Pennington explained why he disappeared from TV after working every single day for a decade. "Changing people's lives — you don't get that opportunity every day," he told Hall. "But that being said, I was never home. My plants died; my cat left; my relationship sort of fell apart. So I also knew that it was time to get my soul back, get my personality back, and spend time off of camera and rebuild my life."
Ty Pennington is back on TV, and he is now a married man
Ty Pennington has appeared on several more reality TV shows in recent years. Following his "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" cameos, he starred in "Ty Breaker," "Battle on the Beach," and "Rock the Block." Of the latter show, he told People, "It's just big. There's just so much good talent on the show. ... It is the biggest show I've ever seen on HGTV." In July 2023, Pennington will also appear on the buzzy "Barbie Dream House Challenge" as he helps build "a first-ever den for Ken," per an HGTV teaser.
While his reality TV resume is quickly building back up, Pennington has some other career endeavors going on. In 2022, he launched a beachy home décor collaboration with At Home, which includes furniture, accessories, rugs, and more.
And on the personal front, Pennington got hitched at age 57. In November 2021, the carpenter-turned-designer married Kellee Merrell in an intimate backyard ceremony at their home in Savannah, Georgia. In November 2022, Pennington marked his first anniversary with Merrell by posting a sweet video of the two of them dancing together on their wedding day. "One year ago I made the best (and easiest) decision of my life! 10/10 recommend marrying your best friend," he wrote on Instagram.