HGTV Stars Whose Soured Reputations Never Fully Recovered

Since its groundbreaking inception in 1994, HGTV has established itself as the go-to place for home improvement aficionados everywhere. With the network spawning fan-favorite shows like "House Hunters," "Home Town," and "Flip or Flop," audiences have flocked to watch thrilling renovation projects and tour gorgeous real estate listings. But they've also seen many shocking scandals that completely rocked the HGTV world, tarnishing some of the images of its famous stars.

Though some network staples have weathered their respective scandals and controversies, many of the TV personalities were simply gone in the blink of an eye. For example, Christina Haack has been a constant presence on HGTV for over a decade. While the real estate investor has had her dirty laundry aired multiple times while battling it out against her exes, she's largely remained a network staple.

From unhappy homeowners to messy divorces to shady business practices, many of these scandals have soured the reputations of these HGTV stars and have prevented them from fully bouncing back.

Carter Oosterhouse first rose to prominence when he was featured as a carpenter in the TLC series, "Trading Spaces" in 2003. This ultimately helped him land more TV opportunities, including HGTV's "Carter Can" and "Million Dollar Rooms." In 2017, Oosterhouse was accused of sexual misconduct by his former makeup artist, Kailey Kaminsky, whom he had worked with for "Carter Can" in 2008. Kaminsky alleged that Oosterhouse had coerced her into performing sexual acts during production of the show, an allegation he had vehemently denied in response.

In a statement issued to The Hollywood Reporter, Oosterhouse acknowledged there was "an intimate relationship" between the two but remained adamant that "it was 100% mutual" before further stating, "I would have never done anything that I was not sure was mutually agreeable." The home redecorating show went on to have success and ran until 2010 for seven seasons, though it marked the last major project Oosterhouse would do with the network and sullied the partnership and his once glowing reputation. 

HGTV responded to the allegations via People in 2017, saying, "While we have not been in production with Carter Oosterhouse on an HGTV series for many years, we take matters such as this very seriously. We do not tolerate harassment of any kind." Oosterhouse returned to "Trading Spaces" for its reboot in 2018, with TLC's president Nancy Daniels defending him in a press statement: "At the end of the day, we feel very comfortable continuing with Carter in the show."

Real estate investor Tarek El Moussa kicked off his HGTV career in 2013 alongside his business partner and then-wife Christina Haack. The couple hosted the series, "Flip or Flop," and quickly endeared themselves to audiences, becoming a fan favorite duo. After enjoying immense success with the network, El Moussa made headlines in 2016 for a shocking incident involving a gun. Following an argument with Haack, she called the police after El Moussa left their residence with a handgun, fearing the worst.

Unbeknownst to her, the TV personality was merely bringing the weapon to protect himself while taking a hike nearby, where a search party was able to find him. El Moussa fully cooperated with the officials and said he had no intentions of harming himself, even agreeing to relinquish his firearms for 30 days. The pair subsequently announced their separation after seven years of marriage, revealing in a statement to People: "Like many couples, we have had challenges in our marriage." "We had an unfortunate misunderstanding about six months ago and the police were called to our house in an abundance of caution," it continued, in part. "There was no violence and no charges were filed."

After their divorce was finalized in 2018, El Moussa and Haack continued to work together on "Flip or Flop" until its conclusion in 2023. The pair went on to host 2025's "The Flip Off," doing so with their respective partners at the time. Though they both maintain a presence on HGTV and social media, the unflattering tabloid portrayal of their personal lives has certainly been taxing, especially for El Moussa.

In 2015, Ellen DeGeneres joined forces with HGTV to create the competition series, "Ellen's Design Challenge," which focused on six skilled designers tasked with creating and building innovative furniture pieces in just 24 hours, in the hopes of winning a $100,000 prize and a feature in HGTV Magazine. Master craftsman Tim McClellan was announced as the winner of the 1st season, though his victory was short-lived when he was later disqualified due to his furniture piece closely resembling that of another designer.

McClellan would go on to guest on an episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to address the controversy. He acknowledged there were indeed similarities between his design and European craftsman Simon Schacht's, but it was not intentional. "Preparing for this competition and over the last 20 years, I've looked at millions and millions of pieces of furniture. And it's quite possible and looks as though that piece somehow got lodged in my memory," he said.

DeGeneres — who has dealt with a damaged reputation herself – defended McClellan in the interview. "Most furniture is derivative of something," DeGeneres told the designer. "Everyone knows how talented you are, and I've said this to you privately and I'll say this publicly, I want to work with you again. I want to create something for you. I think you're talented and I want to do something with you." The designer has since gone on to appear in shows like "Boomtown Builder" and "FabLife," but his disqualification had nonetheless impacted his professional reputation.

Chip and Joanna Gaines were undeniably the golden couple of HGTV, with the dynamic duo becoming the pseudo-faces of the network thanks to the massive popularity of their home renovation show, "Fixer Upper." Interior designer Joanna and contractor Chip combined their respective expertise to grow their empire, and, in 2019, they made waves with their fans when they left HGTV to launch their own platform, Magnolia Network.

A $1 million lawsuit was filed by Chip's former partners John Lewis and Richard Clark in 2017, who claimed he allegedly bought them out of their shared real estate company without disclosing an upcoming deal with HGTV to create "Fixer Upper." The lawsuit was dismissed in 2020, and Chip countersued for defamation. But before it could reach trial, a settlement was ultimately reached in 2023. Though their legal woes were over, the unwanted legal drama didn't help the Gaines' public image, as it wasn't the first time the couple made headlines.

In 2016, they were heavily criticized for attending the evangelical Antioch Community Church, as founder Jimmy Seibert had been exposed for his anti-gay and anti-same-sex marriage attitudes. They also were fined $40,000 in 2017 for failing to safely handle lead-based paint during home renovations. In response to the backlash, Joanna told The Hollywood Reporter, "The accusations that get thrown at you, like you're a racist or you don't like people in the LGBTQ community, that's the stuff that really eats my lunch — because it's so far from who we really are."

Twin brothers David and Jason Benham were poised to take over HGTV in 2014 with their show, "Flip it Forward," in which they helped families purchase and renovate their dream homes. However, the HGTV series was canceled before it even aired after David was exposed for controversial comments he made in 2012 about the LGBTQ+ community.

After "Flip It Forward" was announced in 2014, Right Wing Watch published an article describing David as an "anti-gay, anti-choice extremist" for comments he made when he attended a prayer rally outside of the Democratic National Convention. At the gathering, David allegedly told a conservative radio host that they needed to end "homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation" before adding that "we have allowed demonic ideologies taking our universities and our public school systems while the church sits silent." Unsurprisingly, David's words sparked an immediate response, with HGTV tweeting at the time that it had "decided not to move forward with the Benham Brothers' series" ahead of its first season.

In the aftermath of the decision, David pushed back and claimed on ABC News' "Nightline" that the network was already aware of his past comments, accepting that the rally "got me in a bunch of trouble" but that HGTV had "looked behind our eyes and said, 'they don't have any hate in their hearts for anyone, so we are going to give them a show.'" The brothers have since seemingly doubled down, writing on their official website, "If our faith cost us a reality show, then so be it."

Realtor Josh Hall first came onto the HGTV scene in 2021 after he began dating "Christina on the Coast" alum Christina Haack, with the couple marrying in October of that year. Hall regularly appeared in episodes of the series and even came along for the ride when Haack teamed up with her ex-husband Tarek El Moussa for "The Flip Off." However, their marriage soured during filming. In July 2024, the pair announced their separation, with Hall citing "irreconcilable differences" (via People) after nearly three years of marriage.

Haack and Hall would go on to have a pretty messy divorce, as the realtor requested not only that their assets be fairly divided — as they were before their union — but also sought spousal support from Haack. The HGTV star also accused Hall of stealing $35,000 from her bank account. She later revealed he once asked for $3.5 million during their divorce, a request she openly rejected. "Like all hard-working mothers, my life revolves around my children and my work. It is my understanding that Josh has his own income, and therefore, he should not need any spousal support from me," Haack wrote in her filing.

Their divorce was finalized in 2025, and after the dust settled, the tabloid reporting on their dirty laundry made Hall appear as money hungry in the eyes of the viewers. He even pushed back against the public's narrative, writing in an Instagram post after the news of their split's finalization: "I've always worked hard, kept what's mine, and declined hand outs, and I'm keeping it that way."

While serving as co-host alongside Alison Victoria for "Windy City Rehab" in 2020, Donovan Eckhardt was exposed for working as a contractor without the proper permits and using unlicensed workers to complete the show's renovation projects. During an explosive Season 2 episode, Victoria made the wild discovery about her costar's shady business practices. Eckhardt had allegedly been mishandling company finances, and she subsequently terminated her professional relationship with him. The duo was already dealing with mounting lawsuits from previous episodes, with former clients suing the construction team and the TV series for what they believed was defective work.

After walking away from both the hit show and Victoria, Eckhardt sued not only Discovery Inc. but also Big Table Media – the production company behind "Windy City Rehab" — in 2021 for $2.2 million, alleging defamation and emotional distress. The lawsuit claimed (via Chicago Sun-Times) that Eckhardt was portrayed as "the villain" and Victoria as "the unknowing, innocent victim," which led to the contractor experiencing "depression, sleeplessness, and loss of appetite." However, Victoria was not listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.

A judge ultimately dismissed Eckhardt's lawsuit in March 2021, and Victoria continued to host "Windy City Rehab" alone. Eckhardt has largely stayed out of the public eye since the legal drama unfolded, though his working relationship with HGTV appears over and his reputation and trustworthiness remain shaky. According to his Instagram, he's still a working contractor and he keeps his followers up to date with his current renovation projects. 

In 2016, Ben and Erin Napier emerged as beloved staples of the enduring network when their celebrated series, "Home Town" first debuted, with the wholesome husband and wife duo joining forces to fix up historical homes in their town of Laurel, Mississippi. Given their stellar reputation at HGTV and with viewers, fans were left stunned when Ben found himself wrapped up in a shocking fraud scandal in 2022 when the state started to investigate a multi-million welfare fraud case involving some prominent figures.

Ben's connections with retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre and former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant caused unwanted controversy, as Favre and Bryant were accused of using federal welfare funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for non-welfare related causes. This included a new, $5 million volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi. Ben had reportedly been tasked with constructing the facility's lockers at the request of the then-governor, who released private text messages between himself and Favre to prove he had no knowledge of the former pro's plans.

Ben's name was included in the messages, and the Napiers' ties to Bryant ultimately caused trouble when they became swept up in the sordid scandal. Erin fiercely came to her husband's defense in since-deleted X posts and asserted that Ben never built any lockers and had only recommended someone Governor Bryant could work with and, therefore, had nothing to do with the funds. The scandal tarnished the relatable image the couple had carefully cultivated.

After becoming embroiled in drama with Donovan Eckhardt during "Windy City Rehab," HGTV icon Alison Victoria relocated from Chicago to Las Vegas in hopes of a fresh start. The popular show was never the same after the falling out between Victoria and Eckhardt as their creative connection was sorely missed. The designer attempted to take a stand against her ex-partner by filing her own lawsuit against him for his shady business practices and money mishandling, which she alleges cost her $700,000 of her own money to resolve. 

Victoria was forced to contend with her own legal woes, including multiple lawsuits claiming poor construction on the projects and renovations featured in "Windy City Rehab." Victoria, Eckhardt, and the series were also hit with stop-work orders and permit violations in addition to the client lawsuits, all of which tarnished their respective reputations and caused the designer to move to Las Vegas for a new beginning. Victoria has set out to rebuild her image and shake the negative publicity that came with Eckhardt's involvement in the show.

In a 2025 interview with House Beautiful, Victoria opened up about the legal troubles and her new start. "After what I went through with the multiple lawsuits and the building department in Chicago, it just ... I don't know how to explain it. It's like you're in a relationship, right? I was in a relationship with the city that I loved and lived in, and then it didn't treat me well ... I just needed to get out of there."

Everyone knows that when it comes to reality TV, nothing is quite what it seems, and many moments are staged for the drama factor. After its premiere in 2021, "Renovation Impossible" host Russell J. Holmes confirmed this fact in 2022 when the series came under fire by one of the frustrated homeowners who appeared in an episode. The show featured the contractor helping families tackle stagnant renovation projects and complete them in a timely and affordable manner. Homeowner Ron Onyon felt that both Holmes and the series did more harm than good, joining the list of HGTV contestants who have the biggest complaints about their finished homes.

Onyon aired out his grievances on TikTok, alleging that the contractors and producers behind "Renovation Impossible" failed to fulfill its promise, and their Texas home was marred by poor construction work, numerous hazards, and months-long disruptions. The accusations sparked a fiery reaction from Holmes, who claimed that he and his crew did little of the actual contractor work.

Russell took to Instagram to push back against the negative commentary surrounding him. "I was only the on-camera personality there to help smooth over issues I was made aware of and help get extra value for the homeowner's money," he explained. "The homeowner also had the contractor do work that I never knew was getting done till after it was finished." Amidst the negative blowback, "Renovation Impossible" has not aired any new episodes since 2022 and it appears to be canceled.