Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Cable Network to Air Four-Hour Preview on DIY
By Elaine Low
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Former “Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines will offer a sneak peek of their upcoming cabler, Magnolia Network, with a four-hour preview on Sunday, April 26, on DIY Network.
Magnolia Network is a joint venture between the Gaines and DIY parent Discovery, which will rebrand DIY as Magnolia for the linear launch. While the new cable network was previously scheduled to launch on Oct. 4, the coronavirus-induced shutdown of television and film production has pushed back Magnolia’s launch to a yet-to-be-determined date. The network will also have a direct-to-consumer offering in the future.
“Right now, it’s important that we all continue to look out for one another by upholding the guidelines set forth by the experts, leaders and front-line heroes working tirelessly to get us all through this difficult time,” said Chip and Joannna Gaines in a statement. “With this as our top priority, we’ve decided to delay Magnolia Network’s launch until we can safely resume production. We have an incredible team behind us and we look forward to the days ahead when we can get back to work, telling good stories that encourage, motivate and inspire hope. In the meantime, we are hosting this special preview where we’ll give you a peek into what we’ve been working on and more of what’s to come for this network we’re building!”
The preview event, called “Magnolia Presents: A Look Back & A Look Ahead,” will include a retrospective of the Gaines’ time on “Fixer Upper” on HGTV, as well as teasers for the Magnolia Network’s slate of original programming.
That portfolio includes “Growing Floret,” about Floret Flower Farm and founder Erin Benzakein, “Home on the Road,” centered on Johnnyswim musical pair Amanda Sudano Ramirez and Abner Ramirez as they tour the country with their children, and “Bespoke Kitchens,” which follows England-based deVOL Kitchens as they design kitchens and interiors. Other series include “Family Dinner,” “Restoration Road,” “The Fieldhouse,” “Super Dad,” “Home Work,” “The Lost Kitchen,” and “Inn the Works.”
“It’s been seven years since we first met Chip and Jo. A shared passion for their work is what first attracted an audience looking for great home renovations, but it was their authenticity, relatability, family focus and zest for life that made America fall in love with them,” said Magnolia Network president Allison Page. “We are so excited to introduce viewers to their next chapter, sharing tales of courage, risk, humor, triumph, failure and rebirth in an effort to celebrate good stories and the people that live them.”
Joanna Gaines recently hosted “In the Kitchen With Joanna Gaines” on the Food Network, which drew in nearly 3 million viewers.
“Magnolia Presents: A Look Back & A Look Ahead” airs at 5 p.m. Eastern this Sunday on DIY Network.
