HGTV to Restore ‘Brady Bunch House’

By Brian Steinberg

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Here’s the story: “The Brady Bunch” hasn’t aired an original episode since 1974. And there hasn’t been an original TV series based on the sitcom since 1990. But there could be new content in months to come based on the house featured in the popular TV program.

Speaking on a conference call with investors Tuesday, Discovery Inc. CEO David Zaslav told participants that , the home-improvement network acquired by Discovery when it purchased Scripps Networks earlier this year, has nabbed the rights to use the structure.

“I am excited to share that HGTV is the winning bidder and will restore home to its 1970s glory as only HGTV can,” said Zaslav. “More details to come over the next few months, but we will bring all the resources to bear to tell safe, fun stories with this beloved piece of American TV history.”

The Studio City home was used frequently in exterior shots in “Brady Bunch” episodes. A recent real estate ad for the home said it was “over 12,500″ square feet” as well as “lush backyard gardens and lawn.” Lance Bass, a former member of the pop band N*SYNC,  recently took to social media to say his bid for the property had been thwarted by a “Corporate Buyer (Hollywood studio) who wants the house at any cost.”

Discovery’s Zaslav did not give a sense of what sort of program HGTV might build around the structure or whether “Brady Bunch” actors might take part. Over the years, actors like Mr. T and Vanilla Ice have taken part in programs on DIY, another home-improvement network that is part of the Scripps portfolio. Mr. T, for example, was the center of a home-improvement series called “I Pity The Tool.”