Fans who follow American Idol alum Todrick Hall on YouTube are familiar with his love for over-the-top design. Case in point: His devotion to Louis Vuitton recently reached a whole new level when he customized a 10-foot-wide Louis Vuitton trunk bed, complete with storage in the base for all of his LV bags. So it’s no surprise he and HGTV Design Star winner Kim Myles are hosting a new HGTV series called “Battle of the Bling,” that features the most extravagant homes imaginable.
Here is HGTV’s inside scoop on Todrick and Kim’s new “blingalicious” show.
What Exactly Is Battle of the Bling About?
The series features eccentric homeowners who’ve gone to great lengths to create the flashiest and most ostentatious houses in the country. Each 30-minute episode features Todrick and Kim taking viewers on eye-popping interior and exterior home tours, where nothing is off limits as the hosts share the incredible stories of how these outrageous homes came to be. “I can’t wait to not only give everyone a tour, but to give everyone an experience,” says Todrick. “I’m going to take viewers to some of the most fantastic homes they’ve ever seen.” Adds his co-host Kim, “People are literally creating their dreams in truly gobsmacking houses, and Todrick and I are here for it. We’re touring the most EXTRA properties you’ve ever laid eyes on and it’s going to blow your mind.”
Who Are the Battle of the Bling Co-Hosts?
Todrick Hall is a singer, dancer, actor, choreographer, producer and director. He amassed an impressive following on YouTube after gaining national attention on the ninth season of American Idol, and is also frequently seen working as a choreographer for Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Kim Myles was the second-season winner of HGTV Design Star and has hosted shows including Myles of Style and High Design! — where she travels the country renovating legal marijuana dispensaries.
How Does Battle of the Bling Play Out?
Each week, three over-the-top homes (15 total during the course of the series) compete to win the weekly Battle of the Bling competition. After touring each, Todrick and Kim choose the winning house, which will then move on to the final episode, where additional HGTV hosts will come together to select the blingiest house of all.
Who Will Be Featured on this Season?
There’s a photographer who lives in a 1970s vintage home with a pink backyard; business owners whose Hollywood medieval castle comes complete with a moat, drawbridge and secret rooms; a publisher whose European-style home is a combo of Versailles, Buckingham Palace and Highclere Castle all in one; and a musician whose family mansion is covered inside and out in tile mosaics that were applied over four decades ago by his father, a Hollywood director who sourced them from sets. The homes look nothing alike, but there’s one trait the homeowners have in common: They’re all unapologetically immodest when it comes to decorating their homes with whimsy (and excess!) — no matter the obstacles or expense.
How Are the Battle of the Bling Winners Chosen?
Todrick and Kim pick the winners based on a “Bling-O-Meter” scale. After each house tour, the co-hosts debate the merits of each home as the Bling-O-Meter goes up and down depending on the responses to the following criteria and questions:
- Wow Factor: How flashy and over the top is the house?
- Originality: Have Todrick and Kim ever seen anything like this house before?
- Execution: How difficult was it for the homeowners to pull off the design?
Then, on the season finale, Keith Bynum (Bargain Block), Jackie Seigel (Queen of Versailles) and Alison Victoria (Windy City Rehab) will help Todrick and Kim decide on the winner.
Tell Us What They’ll Win!
The triumphant homeowner will receive a five-foot-tall Blingy Trophy and champagne luge delivered to their door by Todrick and Kim, along with bragging rights and a feature in HGTV Magazine. Battle of the Bling premieres on December 9, 2022, at 9/8c on HGTV.
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