HGTV Announces Nine New Original Series

Nine new original series will hit HGTV's 2013 programming schedule by July 31, including the highly anticipated home improvement competition series, Brother vs. Brother, starring popular and dynamic twin brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott -- the real estate expert and contractor who are best known as the Property Brothers. The network also will put a new spin on its classic competition series Design Star, retooling the series with the new title HGTV Star, showcasing finalists with non-traditional, yet relevant, home-related expertise, and adding designer Sabrina Soto to the illustrious judging panel that includes Vern Yip and Genevieve Gorder. David Bromstad will return as series host and mentor to the finalists.

The new programming line-up also will feature Power Broker, where straight-shooting top agent Mike Aubrey returns to share his no-nonsense real estate advice with homeowners as well as Renovation Raiders, starring DIY Network's licensed contractor Amy Matthews, who will surprise homeowners returning from dinner and a movie with an amazing room makeover. Additional new series include Renovation Unscripted, featuring Emmy-award winning actress Heather Tom from The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless, Flip or Flop, Catastrophe Inc., Renovate to Rent and Staged to Perfection. The programs join the newest breakout hits that premiered on the HGTV schedule earlier this year -- Flea Market Flip, Hawaii Life and Island Hunters.

"We're still delivering series that fuel viewers' passion for the big three in home-centric programming -- real estate, renovation and decorating," said Kathleen Finch, general manager, HGTV and DIY Network. "However, these newer series will appeal to fans who want more action and intrigue served up with their renovation and design as well as to fans who prefer a more escapist viewing experience."

Here is a closer look at additions to the HGTV lineup:

Restoration Series

Flip or Flop
Premieres: Tuesday, April 16, at 11 p.m. ET/PT
Hosts: Tarek and Christina El Moussa
Tarek, a self-proclaimed "driven real estate genius" partners with his wife, Christina to flip new properties in HGTV's Flip or Flop. From the nail-biting purchase at the auction to the frustrating renovations, HGTV cameras follow these novice flippers as they try their hand at the toughest game in town. Viewers also get a glimpse into their personal lives as they put everything into this venture, including the sanity of their family.

Catastrophe, Inc.
Premieres: July TBD
When disaster strikes, it's the first responders who save the day -- but the UnSung heroes of every catastrophe are the guys who clean it up. In each episode of Catastrophe, Inc., a crew of disaster specialists rescue homes damaged by every type of devastation, including wildfires, hurricane-force winds, floods and fallen trees. From simple debris removal to full demolition, the team is there every step of the way to help families clean up, rebuild and redecorate their homes.

Real Estate and/or Renovation Series

Renovation Raiders
Premieres: Thursday, May 30, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Host: Amy Matthews
Imagine leaving the house, going to dinner and coming back to a brand new space in your home. DIY Network's Amy Matthews debuts on HGTV as the host of her newest series, Renovation Raiders. Each week, licensed contractor Matthews raids homeowners' houses while they're out to dinner and pulls off a major remodel in less than four hours. From lavish living rooms to gorgeous kitchens, the families are blown away when they come home and find their spaces transformed.

Renovate to Rent
Premieres: Tuesday, June 11, at 11 p.m. ET/PT
Hosts: Drew Levin and Danny Perkins
Real estate agent Drew Levin and his partner, licensed contractor Danny Perkins, have figured out how to make money in today's housing market. In each episode, Drew and Danny buy old foreclosed homes, completely renovate them and rent the property for top dollar. These guys may be young, but when it's time to sell the rental properties, they'll be cashing out.

Renovation Unscripted
Premieres: June TBD
Hosts: Heather Tom and James Achor
Emmy award-winning actress and soap opera star Heather Tom, and her musician husband James, are both drawn to renovation and design. Whether it's a diamond in the rough or a grand design plan with a small budget, these two can't say no. Throughout the series, Heather and James bring their extensive renovation and design expertise to the table to create unique spaces all over Los Angeles. When all the unexpected problems are resolved and the projects are complete, the spaces are true award winners.

Staged to Perfection
Premieres: Saturday, June 1, at 5 p.m. ET/PT
Host: Meridith Baer
In Staged to Perfection, Los Angeles-based designer Meridith Baer, owner of the largest home-staging company in the world, and her team of 18 designers stage luxury properties that have stalled on the market. With her exquisite style, a 90,000 square-foot warehouse filled with decorative pieces ranging from priceless antiques to flea market finds and five moving crews, Meridith transforms each client's empty home to look its absolute best in hopes it will sell at top market value.

Power Broker
Premieres: Tuesday, July 23, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Hosts: Mike Aubrey and Juan Barbieri
Real estate expert Mike Aubrey and general contractor Juan Barbieri help homeowners get their new home at a dream price in HGTV's Power Broker. In each episode, Mike tours several fixer-uppers, foreclosures and short-sales with his clients and shows them the best buying strategies to get a great deal, while Juan develops a unique floor plan and design for the newly purchased home with a limited budget. With the money saved by purchasing a place that needs some work, the new homeowners can turn their fixer-upper into a dream home.

Competition Series

HGTV Star
Premieres: Sunday, June 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT
Hosts: David Bromstad, Genevieve Gorder, Sabrina Soto and Vern Yip
HGTV Star offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an undiscovered virtuoso to win his or her own show on HGTV. Each week host and mentor David Bromstad oversees the competitors as they participate in unexpected creative challenges to showcase their talents. One by one, the finalists are voted out of the competition by a panel of expert judges -- Vern Yip, Genevieve Gorder and Sabrina Soto -- until one winner stands victorious. The winner and their new series will be featured in the November/December issue of HGTV Magazine.

Brother vs. Brother
Premieres: Sunday, July 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Hosts: JoNathan Scott and Drew Scott
Property Brothers stars, twin brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott, battle it out on HGTV's newest competition series, Brother vs. Brother. In this six-episode series, Jonathan and Drew each mentor a team of six home improvement experts. Each week, the contestants, who are skilled home renovators and decorators, compete in various challenges to find out if they've succeeded in upping the real estate value of the property. Along the way, Drew and Jonathan coach each contestant, but only one will be recognized as the most promising home improvement expert and win the $50,000 grand prize.

*All dates and times subject to change.

ABOUT HGTV

America's leading home and lifestyle brand, HGTV features a top-rated cable network that is distributed to more than 98 million U.S. households and the HGTV website, HGTV.com, the nation's leading online home-and-garden destination that attracts an average of four million unique visitors per month. The brand also includes the HGTV HOME(TM) consumer products line which showcases exclusive collections of paint, flooring, lighting, furniture, plants, fabrics and other home-oriented products. In partnership with Hearst Magazines, the HGTV Magazine, a home and lifestyle publication, is currently available on newsstands. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., HGTV is wholly owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI).

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