‘Farmhouse Fixer’: How Jonathan Knight Transitioned From New Kids on the Block to Home Renovation (Exclusive)

New Kids on the Block has been a staple since the late 80s. They are credited as being the first major global boy band mania, inspiring future acts like N’Sync and The Backstreet Boys. But despite them reaching their peak in the 90s, all good things come to an end. The group split after several years and 80 million records sold. When the touring stopped, Jonathan Knight, had to find another means to make a living. And it appears that a solo career was not necessarily something in reach at the time. So he turned to something familiar to him: construction.

Fast forward decades later, and he’s at the center of HGTV‘s series Farmhouse Fixer. He works alongside designer Kristina Crestin where they renovate centuries-old New England properties into exquisite modern homes, all while keeping the original charm, with Crestin’s help. It’s something Knight says he grew up doing and never imagined would come full circle.

“When I was a kid, my dad was a contractor, so I used to go to work with him. In the beginning, I hated it, and then I really just learned to enjoy it,” he told us in a recent interview promoting season 2 of the show. “So in 1994, when New Kids broke up, I kind of needed to reinvent myself and just jumped into flipping houses.”

One would think that being a performer and renovating houses are on opposite spectrums, but Knight says the industries are much mor similar than meets the eye. “They’re actually very close as well. It’s an art form, and like I always say, “When we get on stage every night, we’re there to make the fans happy and bring joy to their life.” So it’s the same, I think, with renovating houses,” he explained. “Just giving people that joy and excitement that they have a new space.”