HGTV star unloads on network in scathing post after show's shock cancellation
Without warning, HGTV pulled the plug on Bargain Block, Married to Real Estate and Izzy Does It - with sources warning DailyMail.com more changes are coming.
The sudden cancellations sent shockwaves through the channel's fandom last week, and left employees of several shows fearing for their jobs.
As news spread, Bynum - who starred on Bargain Block with his boyfriend of over a decade Evan Thomas - shared an Instagram post confirming the axe has fallen on their home renovation series after four seasons.
Bynym then candidly expressed his feelings about the 'fickle world' of television, his career in which has taken place almost entirely on HGTV.
'Tv is full of a lot of great people but it's also full of some of the worst people I've ever encountered,' the 38-year-old tellingly wrote.
'The last six months have been a pretty wild journey,' he wrote in an Instagram post uploaded shortly after news spread of the cancelations.
'Our entire business and lives have been put through the ringer at the hands of a giant corporation, yet we persist lol,' he quipped.
'Though you may not be seeing us for much longer on HGTV, we're excited that we've built such an amazing base of followers and we're very excited about the future. Everyone always told us TV is a fickle world and they are very right,' he added.
'Tv is full of a lot of great people but it's also full of some of the worst people I've ever encountered. Evan and I have always tried hard to stick to what we know and what we're good at which is being ourselves.'
Striking an upbeat tone, he told his more than 130,000 followers: 'We love you all and we're very excited to announce what's next soon!'
On the Fourth of July, HGTV's Battle on the Beach joined the channel's scrap heap as co-host Alison Victoria revealed the show had not been renewed for season five.
Shortly after the initial raft of cancellations, network sources spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com about the thinking behind the move.
'We had to stop the bleeding,' said the senior source, who claimed that revenues were underperforming and the network needed to act.
'Decisions are still being made,' said the insider, who works directly with programming. 'It sucks for everyone involved but that's the TV business. Everyone understands that. Cable networks are struggling now, and we all have to make smart decisions.'
Farmhouse Fixer host Jonathan Knight confirmed that his show, co-presented by Kristina Crestin, had been axed on Wednesday after three seasons.
'A lot of you have been asking about the future of Farmhouse Fixer,' he said. 'I am sad to say HGTV has decided not to move forward with another season.
'While I'm still processing the reasons that led to their decision, Kristina and I are so grateful for all your support over the past three seasons. Television has been so incredibly fun for us.'
It was a surprise move by the network, given that former New Kids on the Block singer Knight is one of the most recognizable stars on the HGTV roster.
'We were hemorrhaging money. So in order to stop the bleeding, we had to have a bloodbath. It was calculated cuts to make things make sense, financially.'
'He's well-known for sure,' said the network insider, 'but there are hosts on our shows who are more the face of the network. We're not getting rid of [Hometown hosts] Ben and Erin Napier anytime soon. They're probably the biggest stars we've got.'
The decision to keep or cut a show comes down to revenue, and the Napiers enjoy the network's highest ratings.
Each episode of Hometown garners around one million viewers, and is rebroadcast several times throughout the week.
Other top performers include Rock the Block, My Lottery Dream Home, 100 Day Dream Home, Castle Impossible and House Hunters International.
'Obviously, things can change but the ratings performers are probably pretty safe,' said the insider. 'House Hunters International is a bit more expensive to produce, but the ratings justify it.'
But some of the lesser-known shows, including Luxe for Less and Unsellable Houses, are facing uncertain futures.
The show Izzy Does It was an easier cancellation decision, the executive said, because it was just entering Season 2 and had not yet built a devoted fan base.
Host Israel 'Izzy' Battres has not issued a statement directly addressing his show's cancellation, but did respond to a fan online.
'Unfortunately, no season two,' Battres said, 'but we're truly thankful for everyone watching and supporting us!!'
Married to Real Estate's hosts Mike Jackson and Egypt Sherrod described the decision to axe their show as 'unexpected' in a joint statement.
'Mike and I just landed back in the States after an unforgettable family trip through the Mediterranean, and we're met with unexpected news: HGTV has decided not to move forward with Married to Real Estate,' it read.
'While the chain of events leading up to this is disheartening, we are deeply grateful. Grateful for four incredible seasons. Grateful for our amazing crew and supportive fans.'
The network insider acknowledged that the cancellations were 'brutal' but believes that all those impacted would find other projects.
'There are so many opportunities in home renovation media, whether it's on a network like HGTV or something online or something totally different. I am pretty sure everyone will land on their feet.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
35 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Absolute creamer! Instagram star Prime Mutton takes America – with a passion for pints
You might not be familiar with Prime Mutton. Maybe you haven't heard his catchphrases – 'absolute creamer', 'muttonista', or the still-in-development 'creamerisimo'. If so, you're missing out on a man who in the space of a year has created little short of a cult: an army of more than 160,000 social media fans, including celebrities, who cheer along online and in person as their leader – basically – reviews beer. Prime Mutton, whose real name is Jason Hackett, isn't the typical social media star. He is not, with all due respect, a beautiful twentysomething posting videos that are brightly lit with nice colors and snappy edits. He's a 55-year-old professional bridge player from Manchester, with a moustache, a leather pork pie hat, and a body that, he readily admits, reflects his enthusiasm for ale. The lighting in his videos is not up to professional standards, they are rife with background noise – he films the videos in bars – and his recent experiments with fonts and emojis have frequently been chaotic. But what Prime Mutton does have is a passion: a passion for pints. That devotion, coupled with his unvarnished persona and his 'absolute creamer' catchphrase – uttered with relish when a beer meets his high standards – have been enough for him to succeed where so many Brits before him have not: he has cracked America. 'I think people, when I publish my little videos and posts, it brings them quite a lot of happiness,' Prime Mutton told the Guardian on a recent Sunday in Brooklyn. 'People, you know, wake up, they're about to go to work, or they're at work on their break, and it's something that makes them happy – and it's wholesome and authentic as well.' Prime Mutton – 'the brain in terms of knowledge of food and drink is prime; the body is mutton, in that I'm not exactly a honed, prime physical athletic specimen' – is on his first US tour, appearing in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and beyond. He has visited dozens of bars, drawing thousands of fans, many wearing T-shirts bearing his face or holding banners with the legend 'absolute creamer'. The in-person appearances, which Prime Mutton announces in advance on his Instagram, follow the same formula as his videos. Prime Mutton appears on camera standing in a bar, holding a pint of beer. He greets the visiting 'muttonistas' – a term he coined for fans, and one which they have eagerly embraced, before announcing where he is, and which beer he is going to review. Then the magic begins. Sommeliers and cicerones advise that the best way to taste wine or beer is to swish it in the glass, sniff, sip, and swill it around in your mouth to really assess the flavors. Prime Mutton does not do this. Instead, he raises his pint and takes a gigantic swig, a full four or five gulps, until two-thirds of the beer is consumed. After coming up for air, he takes a few moments before delivering his verdict. The gold standard, for Prime Mutton and his adherents, is that the beer is an 'absolute creamer'. His delivery of the phrase, which he said he picked up on a visit to Ireland, sends crowds online and in person into ecstasy. The Guardian met Prime Mutton at a bar close to where he was due to make his first appearance of the day. The idea was to have a private chat before he addressed the muttonistas. But nowhere is private for Prime Mutton these days. As we talked, a man, in his 50s, balding, with a grey beard, spotted us through the window and began to wave, hopping up and down excitedly. The man was Paul Giamatti, Golden Globe and Emmy-winning, Oscar- and Bafta-nominated actor. From outside, Giamatti motioned for us to stay in place – the man really can act – and ran out of view. He quickly reappeared with his son and hustled into the bar. He was wearing a black polo shirt which said 'Muttonista' above an image of Prime Mutton. Giamatti introduced himself as Paul. Rarely has a man looked happier. He asked if he could have a photo. 'Of course,' said Prime Mutton – and one was taken. The two men chatted briefly before a beaming Giamatti left. I asked Prime Mutton if he knew who that was. He did not. I told him it was a famous actor. 'See, that's not my world,' Prime Mutton said, but he did add that Giamatti 'seemed very nice'. Giamatti satiated, it was time for Prime Mutton to head to Hartley's bar, where about 150 people had gathered in a pub designed to hold about 30 people. The majority of the crowd had to settle for a spot outside, some spilling over into the road. Mutton was here to sample the Guinness, which he had been told was among the best the city has to offer. As we walked round the corner together, the crowd went wild. There was a primal roar, like people cheering a musician as they emerge at the Super Bowl. This was Mutton as a more conservatively dressed, somewhat heavier Kendrick Lamar – a rough and ready British interpretation of American celebrity. Inside, an area had been spaced out for Prime Mutton to taste the bar's Guinness. A hush went over the crowd as he was presented with a pint. He raised it to his lips and paused, a showman teasing his audience. Then he drank, gulp after gulp, as he drained more than two-thirds of the beer. Prime Mutton set the glass down on the bar. He smacked his lips. Foam hung on his moustache. Tension hung in the air. The crowd was now completely silent. Their entire focus was on this man, wearing a pork pie hat and suspenders, a man about to make days or crush dreams. Hairs on the backs of necks were raised. Which way would Caesar Mutton's thumb point? He paused, considering his decision. 'That's good. It's very good actually,' Prime Mutton said, but there was more. 'However, I can't say it's the best pint I've had in New York.' Hearts sank. His assessment wasn't over, however. 'But it's still so good,' Prime Mutton said, 'that I'm going to call it an absolute creamer.' An almighty cheer went up. People went wild. Men jumped up and down and hugged each other. High fives were exchanged between strangers. A woman nearly fell off a stool. The muttonistas, much like Prime Mutton's thirst, had been sated. 'He's completely endearing, and sort of what I need in my heart right now, given the state of the world,' said Nick Lucchesi, as Prime Mutton polished off the rest of his pint. 'I mean, look at him. He's smiling and kind of quite Mancunian in all the best ways.' Lucchesi had already seen Mutton once on this tour, but came back for more, cycling across Brooklyn to lend his support. 'He's certainly a wonderful bloke. I just feel like: who doesn't like a Guinness? And a nice guy dropping a catchphrase and talking about it? It makes you feel good,' he said. Others echoed the sentiment. And at a time when male influencers are frequently awful, it's true that Mutton offers something different from the rest. He's not ordering young men to dunk their heads in ice at 3.50am. He's not a misogynist, he's not racist, he doesn't belittle anyone, he's basically … not a dickhead. He's just a man, a man who likes drinking beer, who likes making his videos, and likes bringing people joy. At a time when a lot is wrong with society, when many of us have found ourselves searching for something real and grounded and normal, who wouldn't want to be a muttonista? This article was amended on 7 July 2025. A previous version said Paul Giamatti had been introduced to Prime Mutton by his son. It was actually Giamatti who introduced his son to Prime Mutton.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson agree stunning seven-figure bet on Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano trilogy fight
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson have placed a stunning $1million bet ahead of Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano's highly-anticipated fight. The super-lightweight rivals will share the ring for the third time on Friday night, as Taylor looks to make the second defense of her undisputed title. Irish star Taylor has emerged victorious in the two previous meetings against Serrano, including a unanimous decision win back in November. The two rivals fought as part of the main card for Paul and Tyson's shock boxing fight - which Paul won - and now they prepare to face-off once more. Ahead of the fight, Paul phoned up Tyson and offered to place the stunning bet, to which 'Iron Mike' could not refuse. Paul shared a video on his social media platforms which showed him in conversation with Tyson. He said: 'A lot of people are saying that Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor 's fight was better than ours. They're fighting again this weekend'. Mike Tyson has Katie, I got Amanda — Jake Paul (@jakepaul) July 7, 2025 In a blunt response, legendary heavyweight Tyson said: 'I've got Katie.' Paul responded: 'I've got Amanda, do you wanna bet?'. Tyson enthusiastically as he shouted: 'Yeah!' 'Alright, we'll make a bet! If Katie wins then you get $1million, if Amanda wins then I get $1million,' Paul continued. Tyson responded: 'I like that! Then you've got to take me out to dinner too.' Paul then said: 'Alright, I'll take you out for dinner. I'll take you on a date.' Taylor beat Serrano for the first time in April 2022 via a split decision, despite many observers feeling that Serrano had done enough to seal victory. Their second fight was equally close, but Taylor won a unanimous decision from the judges, which again sparked debate among fans. Taylor currently hold all of the belts in the 140lb division, and has won 24 of her 25 professional fights, with just one loss on her record. Serrano is a seven-weight world champion herself, and has tasted defeat on just three occasions in her 51-fight career.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Fox News' Ainsley Earhardt reveals secrets of her engagement to Sean Hannity... his nickname for her... and why they WILL have a prenup
It's just after 9:30 am and Ainsley Earhardt's working day is already all but done. As a co-host of Fox News 's weekday morning show, Fox and Friends, she has been on air since 6:00 and up since 3:30.
