After attracting more than 15 million viewers and ranking as a Top 10 cable program following its previous season on HGTV,New York Timesbest-selling authors and home design experts,Drew ScottandJonathan Scottare back for another round of their uplifting and heartwarming home renovation series,Celebrity IOU. The multi-talented entrepreneurs havehelped hundreds of families create happy and healthy homessince first breaking onto the scene with their 2011 runaway series,Property Brothers. But as they have supported homeowners across multiple franchises on the network and now Max,the Scotts have also been working closely with Hollywood A-listers as a way to help them give back to friends and mentors who have made an impact on their lives.The renovations can get incredibly emotional as Drew and Jonathan told Collider in an exclusive interview ahead of the Season 7 premiere on January 1.
Admitting how taking on these kinds of renovations for the stars is a specific kind of challenge and incredibly “huge” to tackle, Jonathan reveals how there are timesthings can get “really, really emotional” for both the brothers and the stars.But don’t ask Drew and Jonathan Scott to pick just one episode.
Celebrity IOU
In this reality TV series, Hollywood stars give back to the people who have impacted their lives by surprising them with home renovations. With the help of Drew and Jonathan Scott, better known as the Property Brothers, celebrities roll up their sleeves and get involved in the renovations, creating heartwarming moments as they transform spaces for their loved ones.
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“It’s hard to pick just one [episode] because there’s so much connection,” Drew Scott told Collider of what his favorite renovation was inCelebrity IOUSeason 7. With an eight-episode order featuring renovations withMayim Bialik,Sterling K. Brown,Rosario Dawson,Fran Drescher,Anna Faris,Regina Hall,Ray RomanoandZoe Saldaña, the younger twin reveals how each of the stars talks about those closest to them as something that sincerely warms his heart. While everyone is treated like family by these A-listers,Drew reveals how the renovation with Brown giving back to his family’s nanny and personal assistant touched him immensely.
“To see that she was struggling — she has her four kids, plus her grandchild, but she was told by the city, by the courts, that she’s not allowed to adopt her grandchild until she has a house that will fit the family for them all to live in,” Drew said.“She was searching and searching with how expensive [Los Angeles] is and she just couldn’t afford [anything], so she finally found a home but she spent every penny ongettingthe place and she wasn’t able to actually renovate it.”
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Drew shares how Brown brought him and his twin brother Jonathan to transform the kitchen and eating area into a functional family space, allowing her the chance now to legally adopt her granddaughter. “It’s that critical moment of what we’re doing to help these families transform their lives,” he said. “It’s pretty heartwarming.”
Drew’s older brother Jonathan echoes the sentiment, sharing how the episode with Hall is another emotional renovation fans will take to heart. “[Regina] was giving back to Vonda, whose daughter has sickle cell anemia and suffers from reallybad respiratory issues and illness,” he told Collider. “It turns out that their house not only did not have air conditioning, but the heating system in there, it was so old and absolutely unhealthy — it was pumping around really, really dirty air throughout the house.”He adds how this wasn’t even about having a beautiful house but creating a haven for the family that is safe and assists in their very delicate needs.“That episode got really, really emotional, especially for the reveal because you’re transforming these recipients’ lives. This is a huge thing.”
‘Celebrity IOU’ Brings Out Another Side of Hollywood’s A-Listers
On the flip side of the HGTV and Max show bringing out the waterworks for the beloved Canadian hosts and their fans, Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott admit it’s also incredibly fun because you see another side of the stars as they’re breaking down walls and baring a home’s bones. From Season 1 withBrad Pitt,Viola Davis, andMelissa McCarthytoits next set of episodes premiering in January,the show has always put fun first, and it’s a big reason why audiences keep coming back for more.
“You see [stars like] Rosario Dawson and Zoë Saldaña in there, sledgehammering walls out, and actually both of them sledgehammering Drew, taking Drew down. This is a new running gag, by the way. I love this. It started withHalle Berry, who choked out Drew, [and] tackled him to the ground; then Zoë and Rosario, all these powerhouse women are now taking Drew out. Maybe it’s so that the show becomesProperty Brother,” Jonathan joked with Collider.
“But is it really surprising?” Drew said jokingly. “When you think about it, Zoe is like a superhero, Rosario is a Jedi, [and] Halle was a superhero. I don’t know. I need to shape up. I need to become like a DC superhero. I’ll be Aquaman’s awkward cousin or something like that.” With the two goofing off, Jonathan cleverly interjects that Drew can be “Orm, the evil brother.”
While the two admit they could talk for an hour about the funny behind-the-scenes stories they each encounter while renovating with the stars and helping them give back,the moments audiences get to see the stars let loose and come to life is an aspect Jonathan is really excited by. “That’s what I think makes the show the number one show,” he said. “It makes it so fun for people to watch. It’s because you see this human side of these celebrities and we get to ask them stuff that nobody’s ever asked them on a red carpet.”
Drew and Jonathan Scott Have a Strong Sibling Bond
With close to a dozen shows in theProperty Brothersfranchise andmore on the way for 2024, twins Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott are among the most humble personalities TV has seen in the past decade.Yet, with all the fame and attention that has gone global for the pair, the two remain as down to earth as possible and as close as ever.In one of the premiere episodes ofCelebrity IOUfeaturing Anna Faris airing on January 1 on HGTV and Max, theWaitingstar asks Jonathan Scott what it’s like being a twin. Of course, the eldest of the two responds warmly to her and expands on that affection most tenderly with Collider, admitting it’s a relationship that informs each other as design partners and expands on their individual expertise. “I think the nice thing is no one knows you better than your sibling, especially if you shared a womb together, hence our shirt that says ‘Bros Womb to Tomb,’” Jonathan said as his twin Drew chimed in, “When you sit on someone’s head in the womb for a while, you really get to know them.”
Jokes aside,Jonathan admits the relationship is one that he cherishes deeply, especially as they understand each other even through nonverbal communication.“We always say it’s like when you have a friend and you finish each other’s sentences — it’s like that times 100,” he adds. “Sometimes Drew and I will have entire conversations where we’re not actually saying anything. If you were listening as a third party, you wouldn’t understand what’s happening, but we call it our ‘twintuition.’ We know exactly what we’re getting and what we want and it just works out.”
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Drew adds with respect to Jonathan’s admission,it’s also like in any relationship where you spend a lot of time with the other.“You know what their strengths and weaknesses are. As a designer, not that John has weaknesses — but for me, I loveto dive into spatial planning. I like to figure out the Tetris, the puzzle of it, and Jonathan pulling rooms together in a different way, there are ways that we can ebb and flow and work off each other where we’re not always doubling up on everything.”
As Drew and Jonathan have built a brand around their expertise in real estate, construction, and design through hard work and genuine care for others,they hope that their dynamic will permeate through their shows’ greatest objectives,includingCelebrity IOU. “The biggest part of [Celebrity IOU] is trying to inspire people to do a little something nice for someone you love,” Drew said. “It doesn’t have to be renovating their house, but there are small things that you could do that could be really meaningful and life-changing for people.”
Jonathan adds how the two are grateful to use their voice to showcase technologies that benefit the homeowner and our collective society.The eldest twin, who is also an eco-friendly features advocate, has been flipping the switch on how we access power for years now while championing environmental sustainability. “It’s great to use a platform like ours to showcase technologies that are actually good for human health, for the environment, that are the future of home technology,” he said. “No one has a bigger platform than we do and we’re fortunate that we’re pretty strict about what we showcase, but I’m glad we’ve had a positive influence on everybody for sure.”
Celebrity IOU Season 7 premieres with two back-to-back, one-hour episodes on January 1 on HGTV and Max.
