UKTV Strengthens Ties with Ty Pennington

LONDON: UKTV’s Home channel continues its relationship with Ty Pennington of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition fame through the commission of a fourth series featuring the U.S. star.

Tentatively titled Ty Pennington’s Homes for the Brave, the new 5×1-hour series, produced by Twofour, will see Pennington transform the homes of a group of British soldiers who have returned from the front line. Pennington will set out to complete each transformation in just three days.

UKTV’s director of commissioning, Jane Rogerson, said, “UKTV’s relationship with Ty Pennington continues to go from strength to strength and our Ty commissions not only do the numbers for Home but are also big hits in the U.S.A. This new series with Ty will play to all his key strengths—his infectious ability to get the best out of people and his incredible design skills.”

The channel head of Home, Clare Laycock, added, “In May, Home will only be a year old, yet we continue to attract and retain high caliber talent like Ty Pennington by creating innovative and compelling formats. I’m incredibly excited that in 2010, Home will premiere two exciting Ty Pennington commissions, Ty’s Great British Adventure in June and Ty Pennington’s Homes for the Brave in Q4. This is in addition to the new series we have of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

Pennington commented, “So much of the design work I’ve done in the last couple of years has been influenced by the time I’ve spent in England. I’m pumped to go back to the U.K. this summer to work one-on-one with some Brits in their own home and mix my design principles with the resources available there. It’ll be a challenge for sure—but I have a feeling these military families are accustomed to hard work!”

Melanie Leach, the managing director of Twofour Broadcast, said: “We are delighted to be working with Ty on a fourth series for Home and particularly pleased that his latest venture offers the opportunity to work with brave and deserving British families.”