According to Ty Pennington, Season 7 of Rock the Block may be the tightest competition in the show’s history.
The series returned for its seventh outing last month. The new episodes have followed teams of HGTV stars and celebrities with home renovation and design experience as they transform identical homes in Las Vegas.
Heading into the season finale on Monday, May 25, pairs Brooke Hogan and Scott McGillivray and Kim Wolfe and Chelsea Meissner are tied with two design challenge wins each, while Taniya Nayak and Drew Lachey and Mina Starsiak Hawk and Vernon Davis have one each. However, the season’s winner is ultimately determined by which house earns the highest appraisal value.
“As far as this cul-de-sac, each of these houses may have an identical layout, but they’re all so different. But they’re all so good. So, I can honestly say this could be the most difficult season to judge who won,” Pennington told TV Insider while chatting about raising respiratory health awareness through Insmed‘s Suspect BE campaign. “We’re talking about value. Yes, does that mean bathrooms? Does that mean extra bedrooms? But doesn’t it also mean design and creativity?”
Pennington noted that it’s ultimately up to a team of expert appraisers to determine which team added the most value to their house. “Thank god, because I don’t know who I would say. They’re all so good,” he quipped. “Every competition, it’s kind of hard to say. We’ve all looked at it, and I’ve been like, ‘I’m not sure if I would have gone with that one, or if I would have gone with this one.’ So, I think it’s going to be a really good finale. That’s all I can say, is it’s gonna be big.”
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He continued, “I think whoever ends up with those houses in that neighborhood has got a solid win. Those are all fantastic houses.”
Season 7 marked the first time in the show’s history that celebrities competed with HGTV pros. As for whether the casting change will stick for future seasons? “I don’t know,” Pennington said. “I do know that having that wildcard element is kind of spicy. It’s kind of awesome because you don’t know what you’re going to get. It’s like a variety pack of cereal. You’re like, ‘Ooh. What’s in this season?’ So, that’s a really good question. I like the unexpectedness of it. Look, I’m a TV guy, so anytime even I can be surprised, that’s a good thing to me.”
Pennington also didn’t expect this season’s celebrity competitors to be so skilled in home renovation and design. “Who knew that Drew Lachey could work heavy machinery like that? And not to mention, he’s such a great tile guy,” he stated. “Who knew Brooke Hogan was going to be so funny, and also, just an emotional roller coaster every day?”
He added, “The fact that Mina was able to come back and get a win on the block with Vernon — the guy is a fantastic football player, and also a great artist. And then, you’ve got Kim and Chelsea, who survived on water and rice for 30 days on an island. So, they definitely know how to compete, too.”
Pennington told TV Insider that he loved the “variety” of this season’s cast and the design choices they made. “I think that’s why the show is so popular, is that I think we can all find a room in each house that would be like, ‘Yeah, that’s my style,’” he explained. “But also people’s opinions on who they didn’t like and who they liked is also great. I mean, the comments are always very strong.”
Rock the Block, Season 7 Finale, Monday, May 25, 9/8c, HGTV
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