HGTV seeks to up the stakes in the world of interior design reality TV programming by bringing in the godfather of reality television. HGTV released a press announcement on December 3, 2009 stating Design Star season five will be produced by Mark Burnett and his team.
With past Design Star winners at the helm of popular design shows like Color Splash and Myles of Style, HGTV’s decision should make the popular reality series even more riveting. Expect Burnett to bring stronger episode editing, greater storytelling, and the ability to build suspense.
Mark Burnett to Produce HGTV’s Design Star Season 5
Mark Burnett is a leading executive producer for primetime television, cable and the Internet, and has produced over 1,100 hours of television programming which regularly air in over 70 countries around the world.
Burnett revolutionized television with continuing hits such as Survivor (CBS), The Apprentice (NBC), the now syndicated Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (FOX), the daytime syndicated hit Martha, and the new hit series Shark Tank (ABC); giving Mark different series on each of the four major networks.
"The Mark Burnett team is extremely creative and talented -- masters at crafting entertaining reality programming," said Freddy James, senior vice president, programming development and production, HGTV. "We expect that they will infuse HGTV Design Star with fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that will serve as a blueprint for a successful fifth season."
"We are thrilled to have our first program with HGTV and the Scripps family of networks," said Mark Burnett, "We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and making HGTV Design Star even bigger, better, and more exciting than it has been in seasons past."
Past Design Star Winners from Seasons One, Two, Three, and Four
Previous HGTV Design Star winners include popular hosts David Bromstad of Color Splash and Kim Myles from Myles of Style. Season four winner Antonio Ballatore is currently in production for his new series, The Antonio Treatment, set to premiere in March 2010.
Many fans question the subtle disappearance of season three winner, Jennifer Bertrand. Soon after she was announced the winner, she became pregnant and increasingly busy with becoming a first-time mother in January 2009.
Bertrand explains to fans on the HGTV web site, “I have become the ‘What happened to her?’ of Design Star, but not for long. I will be on the air soon to remind you that it was definitely not a wasted vote.”
Apply to be a Contestant on the Fifth Season of HGTV’s Design Star
Viewers who want to be considered for the show can visit the HGTV Design Star web site to find out how to apply. Submissions must be postmarked by Tuesday, January 19, 2010.
Allen Williams - Allen Williams is a freelance writer with varied interests ranging from information architecture to reality TV and cooking. He considers ...
