‘Celebrity IOU’: Jonathan & Drew Scott on How COVID Influenced Season 3 Renovations
Property Brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott return for a third season of Celebrity IOU, helping famous folks give back to those who’ve impacted their lives. Once again, the guys team with grateful A-listers who want to gift a loved one or mentor with a home makeover, but this time, the new normal of COVID dictated some of their floor plans. “This is the first season we’ve done after a lot of people started working from home,” explains Jonathan. “So, many of our renovations reflect a need for flexible live-work space.”
Kicking off the charitable train is the hilarious Tiffany Haddish, who recruits the Scotts to spruce up the Carson, California, residence of Selena, her best friend of 20 years. And it’s clear from the get-go that Haddish’s heart — and sledgehammer — is in the right place when it comes to honoring the woman who stuck by her through her early years in the foster system and pre-fame homelessness.
“We were barely in the front door before Tiffany started ripping things down!” says Jonathan. “But it does show you how much she cared about giving her friend such a special place that her family could love and enjoy.”
Other stars putting in the sweat equity this year are Friends favorite Lisa Kudrow, black-ish patriarch Anthony Anderson, Oscar winner Halle Berry, rapper and Martha Stewart pal Snoop Dogg, comic Ali Wong, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty scene-stealer John C. Reilly and America’s Got Talent judge Howie Mandel, who does his road manager a major solid.
“His condo screamed ‘college hangout,’ right down to the beer can wall and bottle-cap tabletop,” Drew reports with a laugh. “We were very happy to get him upgraded to a modern, relaxing space that better suited his current lifestyle.”
For all the funny business (that lineup really is a who’s who of who’s hilarious), the brothers admit that the hard work also brought up big feelings. “These are some of the deepest, longest relationships we’ve [spotlighted] on the show,” offers Drew. “So while we were laughing a lot, there were a lot of happy tears too. And it’s nice to have talent on the show that tell better dad jokes than Jonathan.”
Celebrity IOU, Season Premiere Monday, April 18, 9/8c, HGTV