HGTV Makes Big Changes to 'Selling the Big Easy' Season 2 Premiere After Hurricane Ida

09/09/2021 08:20 am EDT

HGTV is making some slight changes to its upcoming fall programming slate. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which caused widespread devastation to the New Orleans area and across much of the eastern United States, the home renovation network has postponed the Season 2 premiere of Selling the Big Easy. The HGTV series was originally set to premiere later in September, though the new season has now been pushed back by nearly a month.

HGTV confirmed the postponement on Thursday, Sept. 2, just a little more than a week ahead of Selling the Big Easy's originally scheduled Friday, Sept. 10 premiere, when the series was set to air episodes at 9 and 9:30 p.m. The network said that "in response to the devastation left after Hurricane Ida," the decision was made to shift the Season 2 premiere date to Friday, Oct. 1 at 9:30 p.m. HGTV also announced will make donations to Save the Children and American Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Services to help provide shelter, support and critical supplies for thousands of families affected by Hurricane Ida. HGTV will also encourage viewers to donate to the efforts by texting "HURRICANE" to 707070.

"It was difficult to see the country once again deal with heart wrenching destruction caused by a hurricane," Jane Latman, president, HGTV & Streaming home Content, Discovery, Inc., said in a press release. "And, after filming Selling the Big Easy in New Orleans for so many months, and building deep connections with people who make it a truly remarkable and unique city, the HGTV team felt a strong desire to help. We hope viewers will join us to support recovery efforts too." 

Hurricane Ida made landfall on Sunday, Aug. 29, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S. At landfall, Ida was a dangerous Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 miles per hour. The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands, left more than a dozen people dead in Louisiana alone, and left a path of destruction stretching from the Gulf Coast to New England. More than a week later, recovery efforts in the impacted areas continue.

Originally premiering in August 2019, Selling the Big Easy follows New Orleans native and resident real estate professional Brittany Picolo-Ramos, who specializes in quintessential NOLA properties, as she and her team "make house hunting fun as they take an enthusiastic approach to buying and selling elegant and historic properties in New Orleans." According to HGTV, the 12-episode second season "will follow Brittany and her full-service agency as they help families find a house with the right amount of history and charm. Selling the Big Easy Season 2 is set to premiere Friday, Oct. 1 at 9:30 p.m. on HGTV.

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