Bigger is better on The Renovators
TEN launched The Renovators to media and sponsors on Thursday, hoping the show will do for renovation what MasterChef did for food.
- Published by David Knox
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TEN launched The Renovators last night in a massive warehouse in Rosebery where it staked a claim on the genre, and the message that bigger is better.
The huge space, converted from a distribution centre into the largest working television set in the country, is big enough to fit several houses, planes and then some.
300 guests were dwarfed by the displays, supplies and renovation resources that will host the challenges, undertaken by the 26 contestants on the show. TEN celebs in attendance included Matt Preston, George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan, Michelle Bridges, Shannan Ponton, Sandra Sully, Natarsha Belling, Angela Bishop and Dicko.
A sizzle reel gave the feel of a contemporary, urban, aggressive format with lashings of production style.
TEN is hopeful that the series will follow on from its successes in event television.
Chief Programming officer David Mott said, “MasterChef transformed the way the Australian public embraced cooking and we really believe The Renovators will do the same for home renovators.
“TEN’s always prided itself on being innovators and understanding trends, as we’ve seen with many of the franchises over the years, if you go back to 2001 with Big Brother, Australian Idol, The Biggest Loser and obviously MasterChef and now Renovators.”
Mott added that the challenges in The Renovators will range from “a very simple hammering of a nail -and who would’ve thought there’s great drama in that- to renovating a whole street of 11 houses that we do in this warehouse.”
Host Brendan Moar judges Barry Du Bois, Robyn Holt and Peter Ho introduced the 26 contestants, who include:
– Nine renovators from NSW including a police officer turned self-taught renovator,
– Six renovators from VIC varying from a demolition expert to an owner of a family ice creamery business
– The original “Meadow Lea” man is one of three lucky renovators from QLD
– SA brought four renovators to the workbench including an intensive care nurse who saves style-deprived homes in her spare time
– Another four contestants come from WA – from a whopping 6 foot 9 wharfie to a 5 foot 2 pocket rocket amateur renovator and mum
In an all-or-nothing claim, the winner of the series not only nets the profit from the sale of their renovated house, but the combined profit of all six houses, tipped to nudge past $500,000.
The original format is already attracting overseas interest as a potential new franchise for the Shine Group.
The Renovators is expected to air across 6 nights following MasterChef, but begin with launch episodes in advance very soon.
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- Tagged with Australian Idol, Big Brother, Masterchef, The Biggest Loser, The Renovators
36 Responses
The thing that hooks people on MasterChef is the emotion the contestants put into their cooking and the finished result that people think they can pull off at home….
The basics of a hammering challenge will have no heart and the end results of their massive challenges will not feel achievable at home.
And building fake houses in a warehouse, I just don’t see the point.
I have no doubt The Renovators will look huge and impressive, but I reckon it will be missing something.
@ Andy – Actually they all look rather pinkish to me.
Brendan Moar is fantastic..best host on TV
Nice choice for the host.. gorgeous!
Hope he gets alot of screentime
Cannot wait!!!! It’s going to be awesome 🙂
I’m going to call it now and say this will not do Masterchef numbers. The format isn’t that original and is no different to The Block and Top Design. There are even elements of the awful Homemade in this as well.
People go on Masterchef to change their lives, to fulfil their dream of becoming a chef and to share their love of cooking.
I doubt these people are going on The Renovators to become the next big carpenter and share their love of renovating to the viewing public.
A lot of you thought Ten would be successful with 2.5 hours of news but look what that has caused. I’m guessing this will do Amazing Race Australia numbers at best
This looks good, fingers crossed. Unlike The Block there seems to be people over 35.
It seems Matt Preston might have been talking out of his … the other day in the Herald Sun saying they actually ‘looked for ethic people to cast’. I mean what was that comment about anyway… Totally racist in itself.
I’m confused: The participants are “renovating a whole street of 11 houses that we do in this warehouse”, but the ” winner of the series not only nets the profit from the sale of their renovated house, but the combined profit of all six houses”.
What will they actually be renovating? Eleven “fake” houses in the giant warehouse or six “real” houses on a real street somewhere?
What ever happened to the default gay couple fad?
I saw the prize announced “exclusively” for the “first time ever” three times yesterday.
This looks amazing, good on Channel 10!
This program will blow The Block out of the water. The only thing it doesn’t have is Scotty Cam, but apart from that, there will be no comparison. Sydney’s apetite for home renovation has just begun!
Lol at the people saying it’s not a diverse cast. The reason 9 gets in the sh-t all the time is because they cast nuff nuff people who are the ‘young couple next door’.
Look at the ages of the people in the above photos… diverse.. yes…
Look at the sizes… skinny minnys only… i think not…
Now let’s be rascist… look at the colour of their skin. Those people are not all ‘white’ and represent a wider Australia.
If you’re waiting for an elderly Jewish, Asian woman in a burqa to apply for a reality show, I think you’ll be waiting a while??
I think this might do alright.
It will have little traction until The Block finishes… and then kick on for the remainder of the series.
It will be interesting to see how it goes.
Not a very “diverse” cast – but I am guessing this will sit along the lines of Top Chef/Top Design (USA) format of tests of skill and creativiity, instead of the block type crap challenges.
Hope I’m right.
@Andy, Maybe only “white” people applied for the show
Where are the hot business men wanting to turn to tradies?
quick call the politically correct police. There are no muslims, asians and no disabled people. Oh wait, that seems to be criticism only aimed at Ch9 for some reason.
Can someone please tell me how this is any different to The Block?
What an interesting concept, a renovating show that shows people actually renovating!
how come nobody complains about lack of diversity in casting for advertisements, case in point, the latest commecial from Colgate, it’s too white I thought it was a commercial for Vanish, trust pink, forget stains??
Cost cutting = lavish launch parties
I’d be p*ssed if I was a TEN “celebrity” right now…
Where are the ethnics? Prefer the couple format of The Block better I think
Once again– a very “white” cast.
I think you may be too late folks ch9 has stolen a march on ya with the block. It may be a bit crappy but it is pulling in the viewers. I dunno whether this will gain any traction.