Latest news with #EvanThomas
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
HGTV star unloads on network in scathing post after show's shock cancellation
Bargain Block star Keith Bynum left fans stunned with a blistering swipe at HGTV after his show fell victim to the network's shock cancellation spree. Without warning, HGTV pulled the plug on Bargain Block, Married to Real Estate and Izzy Does It - with sources warning 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 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.'
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Bargain Block's' Keith Bynum Slams HGTV After Show's Alleged Cancellation: 'Some of the Worst People I've Ever Encountered'
HGTV's Keith Bynum shared his thoughts about the alleged cancellation of his series, Bargain Block, in a recent Instagram post Bynum, 38, said that the television industry is 'full of some of the worst people I've ever encountered' in his June 22 post Bargain Block initially premiered on HGTV in 2021 and followed Bynum and his partner, Evan Thomas, as they restored properties in DetroitBargain Block's Keith Bynum isn't holding back when it comes to how he feels about his show's alleged cancellation. The HGTV star recently shared a message with fans announcing the end of his home renovation series — which he costarred in with his partner, Evan Thomas — after four seasons. In a June 22 Instagram post, Bynum said that he came across 'some of the worst people' he has 'ever encountered' while working in television. 'Happy Sunday!!' Bynum, 38, began the message, which was paired alongside a carousel of recent photos from his life. 'The last six months have been a pretty wild journey,' he continued. 'Our entire business and lives have been put through the ringer at the hands of a giant corporation, yet we persist lol. 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.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Keith Bynum (@keithbynum_) is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! He added, 'Everyone always told us TV is a fickle world and they are very right. 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. We love you all and we're very excited to announce what's next soon!' PEOPLE reached out to HGTV for comment regarding Bynum's post on Thursday, July 3, but did not receive an immediate response. Bargain Block premiered on HGTV in 2021, and the series followed Bynum as he paired his design knowledge with Thomas' carpentry skills to restore abandoned properties in Detroit. The pair specialized in curating 'stylish starter homes for first-time homebuyers,' according to the show's synopsis Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Keith Bynum (@keithbynum_) Bynum shared a follow-up post on June 26 in which he spoke of "letting go" of "anger and hurt." HGTV star Egypt Sherrod, whose show Married to Real Estate was also recently canceled, responded to the post, voicing words of support. 'Indeed it is!! Anger and hurt are part of sitting in the ashes, a necessary and understandable part of the process,' she wrote. 'But once we clear the rubble, we can build back better!!! Onward and upward my friend. The world is still watching and cheering us all on!!" Read the original article on People
Otago Daily Times
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
‘Mr Hospo' changes course
Away from the CBD, Evan Thomas is upskilling himself in the culinary world. PHOTO: PHILIP CHANDLER Till a few years ago, if you ventured into Queenstown's CBD after dark you'd likely find Evan Thomas somewhere on the door. And if you popped into Joe's Garage next morning, he'd be kitchen-handing there, too. For the past three years, however, he's been less visible — having settled down in the 'burbs with a woman who calls herself 'The Witch', and having scored a kitchen job at The Rees where he's learning to become a chef. Evan's been in hospo all his adult life, or even before. Growing up on Auckland's North Shore, he attended Rosmini College and played 1st XV rugby, but says "I wasn't really into school at all". On his last day he joined the Queen St riot in 1984, at which muso Dave Dobbyn was charged for inciting violence, but acquitted. Evan confirms he wasn't arrested — "I haven't been arrested for a quite a while, not this millennium, anyway". Having first acted as a doorman at only 14 at an under-age rave called Chuckles, he resumed that role after school. He had a stint as a cellarman at a North Shore bar — "I wasn't supposed to be serving behind the bar, but I was." In 1990, he left for Dunedin to open Cactus Jack with mate David Woodley — "50 cent tequila shots on Wednesday and Thursday, that was fun". He started but didn't complete a craft design diploma at Otago Polytech, paying off his student loan about 15 years later. Kiwi singer/songwriter Hollie Smith dropping in on Evan Thomas at the former Joe's Garage in Searle Lane in 2016 PICTURE: JODI WALTERS In '96, Evan moved to Queenstown, collecting the dole as "a government-sponsored snowboarder — they won't let you do that any more". His first job was kitchen-handing at the former Moa restaurant in The Mall before stints with his "inspirational" bosses, Lucy and James 'Chief' Whelan at Lone Star and Cath and the late Matt Hanna at Joe's Garage. He was also the sober fly on the wall at the entrance to just about every late-night joint in town, including Tardis, Surreal, Subculture and Red Rock, and was also employed as a bouncer during local music fests, befriending many visiting musos along the way. Evan admits he got fired from some jobs but would invariably be rehired. He's a bit reluctant to elaborate but, as a clue, says "I don't have a filter, the first thing that comes into my mind is usually what I say". His tactics as a bouncer were, "if you're nice to me, I'll be nice to you". So did he throw a lot of people out? "I never threw people out, I asked them to leave quietly. "You can see trouble 10 minutes before it happens." Still, he did get bashed a couple of times and had to get a new set of teeth. "Which is also very good if someone tries to get tough — you go, 'just a minute', take your teeth out and nine times out of 10 that's enough to disarm anybody." Evan says Queenstown nightlife "doesn't have anywhere near the soul it used to have, it's very generic at the moment". "Every town needs a dive bar — there were a whole lot of them that used to be institutions." He's also had a couple of non-hospo gigs — as a longtime taxi dispatcher and a few years rigging and dogging cranes for The Rees Hotel build in the mid-2000s, having initially been a hammerhand. In a full-circle moment, when Joe's Garage's Searle Lane premises shut, The Rees' Mark Rose "made me an offer I couldn't refuse". For the first two years he was a kitchen porter, cleaning up after the chefs "and everybody that eats in the restaurant". Then, a year ago, "I thought I'd make the mess", and he's already studying for his certificate in cookery, Level 3, which isn't bad for someone about to turn 56. "Well, the day you stop learning is the day you die — keep it fresh, give myself a new challenge, try and make life a bit more interesting, "I just like cooking for people, watching them eat food — food brings people together. "I won't be replaced by AI, and I like playing with knives and fire." GM Micka McDonald says Evan "brings a different flavour to the kitchen". "We've got an open-plan kitchen and you can hear him, he's jovial, the guests love it, and the staff do, as well, and he's just an absolute Trojan." As for other pursuits, he's done Bikram yoga for 18 years — "that's how I met the Mrs., and I need one good habit to make up for all the bad ones". Asked about those, he says "I still love my tequila, though I won't drink a whole bottle in one go any more — I'll sip it".
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Highschool caps off year launching a weather balloon
HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— Students from the Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences marked their school year's end with a high-flying science experiment. The robotics class launched their annual high-altitude weather balloon from the campus in drums. This year's marks a first, with students aiming for a nighttime launch to capture the earth's curvature at sunset. New technology helping stroke victims rehab Juniors and seniors spent months preparing the helium balloon, camera equipment, and payload to reach and capture the view more than 100-thousand feet in the air. 'It was definitely really nerve-wracking, like all throughout school I was like stressing, but it was so relieving and a really good memory to be able to say that that happened today in my senior year,' expressed Paige Greco, senior, Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. 'A lot of people don't think that much work goes into this stuff, but its great seeing all the work he put into it and then it's a simple thing. We launched a balloon to the sky, but to think about how much work went into it and the aftermath and everything, it's awesome,' added Evan Thomas, senior, Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. Their instructor says they hope their cameras capture not just a stunning sunset, but possibly lightning from storms and city lights from far above. The balloon should land somewhere near northwest New Jersey, with recovery planned for Saturday morning if it doesn't get stuck in a tree like last year's balloon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Controlled burns create smoky Topeka skies
ROSSVILLE (KSNT) — If you noticed some smoke in the air today around Topeka, there's a reason for it. Farmers are burning their lands to prepare for the next harvest season. Each spring, several farmers set controlled burns. The process, however, requires many people monitoring the fires at all times. One local farmer told 27 News he gets his whole family together to contain it. 'We always have it controlled when there's a bunch of buggies,' Rossville landowner Evan Thomas said. 'As you can see, there's a bunch of people driving around in them and everybody has their sprayers and radios and kind of just light it slowly and everybody goes and sprays and knocks it out.' Topeka City Council to consider $168,000 funding request for hotel Once the grass is burned, it can grow back healthier the next season. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
