EXCLUSIVE | 'Love It or List It' host Hilary Farr says she gets 'really upset' when a client lists a house
Hilary Farr is back on HGTV with co-host David Visentin with a new season of 'Love It or List It'. In an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), she talks about her camaraderie with David, her movie career and her experience working with Ted Danson and Richard Gere. Hilary might have plans to pen a tell-all memoir in the future but that'll drop when it has to but before it does, we have the scoop on a couple of secrets about the designer and HGTV host that aren't public knowledge yet.
In each episode of 'LIoLI', Hilary and David work with a family that is not happy with their existing house due to various reasons, including the lack of functionality caused due to lack of space. While Hilary works toward renovating the existing house and incorporating all the changes that are needed to make space work for all the members of the family, David works toward finding a house that checks off all requirements that the family would like in their dream house. In the end, the decision lies with the family if they choose to love their newly renovated house or list it on the market and move into the new home that David finds for them.
In the premiere episode of the new season, the couple chose to love their existing house after Hilary renovated it. Now she's been doing this show for 12 long years, from the time the show started airing in 2008. On being asked if she ever feels personally invested while working with the families that appear on the show, she says, "Yes, all the time, although I love to know they end up in the right house for them even when they list it." She further added, "I really am upset (when a couple lists the house) but would never give David the satisfaction of showing it." The camaraderie between her and David is unmissable, fans of the show must know. Right at the beginning of last week's episode, viewers saw him poke fun at her scarf while asking if it was second-hand. We asked her if audiences will see her clap back at him this season, she says, "Well that’s a question that I find really funny because my great mission in life is to poke fun at David at every possible moment of every day!"
Speaking about how she identified that interior design was her calling, she says, "Starting with an apartment when I was 18 yrs old, I loved redecorating and renovating houses I lived in and always sold for a profit. When I moved to Toronto from California I started a business flipping houses. I was in heaven doing what I realized I was really good at and loved, and making money too." She also juggled a movie career before the millennium year hit but hasn't been seen in a movie ever since. On what it would take for her to make a return, she says, "Someone asking me would be a start! But it would only be for a bit of fun, not interested in going back to acting." Hilary has worked with the iconic actor Ted Danson during the course of her career on screen. Detailing her experience she says, "Ted Danson was still doing 'Cheers' and he had a development deal with Paramount Studios. One of my oldest friends was working with him and brought me in. It was a very cool time on the lot. Henry Winkler was a neighbor along with so many amazing filmmakers and television productions. I was Ted's "D". girl. I found scripts and ideas for him to either produce or act in. He was a dream to work with."
Hilary also featured on the musical 'Grease' that she co-starred on with actor-producer Richard Gere. Speaking about her experience working with him, she says, "Richard Gere was playing Danny Zuko in the first London production of 'Grease'. I played Marty. He was the consummate professional but also quite the wild "bad" boy in those days. English women went weak at the knees when he was around them. Fun times!"
To conclude, we asked Hilary to list five things about her that are not public knowledge yet but would like to share with our readers. In response, she revealed, "I love sharks and snakes and spiders as well as the furries on this planet. I'm moved to tears and cry when characters are heroic in movies. I love being in my pajamas all day, not speaking to anyone and totally not glam. I have 3 grandchildren whom I adore; they call me Zsa Zsa. That's all I'm telling you now. Wait for the book!"
'Love It or List It' airs Mondays at 9 pm ET only on HGTV.
