'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' Revival Now Searching for Families

HGTV has put out a casting call for Extreme Makeover: Home edition in preparation for a new season of the classic series.

A casting call went out for HGTV's reboot of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on Monday. The network is producing ten brand new episodes of the show, which follows contractors overhauling a home for a family in need. The show is expected to air on HGTV some time in 2020, but hopefuls can apply to be featured now.

The reboot comes with one major twist as well: the show is no longer limited to homeowners. The casting call encourages renters and people interesting in relocating to apply to the show, suggesting that they will not necessarily need to "makeover" the home they already live in.

According to HGTV's casting call, the network wants "people who deserve a new place to live and who have uplifting, inspirational stories that must be told." The reboot will also feature an emphasis on people who "give back to their communities despite personal challenges."

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is such an iconic show," said Kathleen Finch, chief lifestyle brands officer for Discovery. "It's an emotional story centered around a house. There is real drama, and real stakes around a home being rebuilt."

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition originally ran on ABC from 2003 to 2012. The show was a huge success, with an average of 16 million viewers per night at its peak. There is no word on whether host Ty Pennington will return to the series, but it does have many producers returning from its ABC days.

In its heyday, Extreme Makeover: Home edition was given he Seal of Approval by the Parents Television Council, naming it the most family-friendly series on network TV at the time. It was also considered a philanthropic triumph by many. The show's premise relied heavily on generosity and charity within the community it was set in, and thousands of Americans pitched in to help each other out.

Still, the show has also been decried for exploiting and dramatizing tragedy. In 2006, The Smoking Gun published internal emails from ABC where a network employee described what kind of tragedy they were looking for. This included a list of specific diseases or family dynamics, and critics saw it as an unsightly technique.

Still, the show has a fresh start on its new home, and it may well distance itself from those stories. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will be on HGTV and HGTV streaming platforms in 2020. Hopefuls can access casting applications on the show's website.