Ty Pennington Disappeared From TV And The Reason Is Obvious Now
In the early 2000s, when everyone was obsessed with home improvement and makeover shows, Ty Pennington was a household name. He was an attractive carpenter with a charismatic aura and caring personality that shone through while hosting TLC'S Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The latter went on to earn numerous awards, including two Emmys and 10 nominations for its innovation and philanthropic ties.
The poster boy for all this good, of course, was Pennington himself. He was easily seen as the Gordon Ramsay of home improvement and was downright difficult to not enjoy.
However, while he was changing families' lives for good across the country, his personal life was treading water. How did America's 2000s Boyfriend (sorry, Keanu) who was once seen as "an unmistakable sign of hope for families and communities" suddenly fall from public view?
Keep scrolling after the jump for the details on Pennington's rise from the ashes and the good he's doing off-camera.
Ty Pennington had a few personal issues to overcome
Although Ty Pennington had a smile that just warmed your heart, it was the alcohol pumping through his that led to trouble for the TV host. On May 5, 2007, the beloved carpenter was arrested in the Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles, Calif. for driving under the influence. According to People, Pennington's blood-alcohol level was .14 percent while the state's legal limit was .08.
In an official statement (via Cleveland 19), the television star wrote, "I made an error in judgment. We all make mistakes; however, this is about accountability. Under no circumstances should anyone consume alcohol while driving. I could have jeopardized the lives of others and I am grateful there was no accident or harm done to anyone. This was my wake-up call."
The statement ended with, "I also want to apologize to my fans, ABC Television and my design team for my lapse in judgment and the embarrassment I have caused."
Pennington, at the age of 42, was later sentenced to three years of probation, fined $1,500, and mandated to attend a 90-day alcohol education program.
Ty Pennington's multiple career revivals just didn't work out
After 10 seasons and countless families changed for the better, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was canceled in 2012. Of course, Ty Pennington had words for his claim to true fame ending.
"I think what Extreme taught me is that as an artist, what you create with your hands has a lasting difference and actually makes someone's life better," Pennington explained in a 2012 interview with Parade. "It's something that I'll always be proud of."
That same year, he attempted to take his makeover magic to daytime television with the ABC talk show The Revolution, alongside Tim Gunn, Harley Pasternak, Dr. Jennifer Ashton and Tiffanie Davis; however, the magic was indeed gone. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show only lasted six months.
In 2014, the television star launched a cooking competition show called On the Menu with celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse. While the hosts clearly had a passion for food, the show just wasn't strong enough. It was canceled and soon disappeared after just ten episodes.
The following year, Pennington tried his hand again at another cooking show, American Diner Revival, but it didn't last more than 22 episodes.
Ty Pennington never stopped helping others, here and abroad
Ty Pennington clearly has a love for helping others, and that hasn't changed since his television days. In 2014, he teamed up with Sears to launch the Building Community Together initiative. The project aimed to "help identify homes and community projects in need of assistance." With 80 volunteers, Pennington used his handyman skills to renovate "three local homes and an old church" that was later converted "into the new Tampa Heights Community Center."
"What I think is amazing about the 'Building Community Together' initiative is that you have local people helping to improve the lives of their neighbors," Pennington shared at the time. "I am so excited to be part of this effort and help kick things off. Hopefully, this will inspire people around the country to volunteer in their communities and support what Sears Home Services is doing."
That same year, he also worked with Abōd Shelters Foundation, a charitable organization whose mission is to provide sustainable, quality housing to areas in need around the world. Many people sang his praises about his contribution to the organization although he never came forward himself.
Although he wasn't invited back to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in 2020, Pennington found his own home with Deluxe Corporation's series Small Business Revolution: Main Street. "Going into season three we wanted to change things up a bit," Deluxe's chief brand and communications officer Amanda Brinkman told Forbes. "[Ty] is a renovation icon and is known for helping people and businesses with pretty tough renovations."