“Love It or List It” host Hilary Farr announced Friday that she will be leaving the show after 17 seasons, though HGTV said the show will continue.
“I’ve given it so many years of my life,” Farr told People in an interview. “It’s got me through hard times. It’s got the audiences through hard times. It has evolved into a mainstay of people’s lives and it’s been incredibly gratifying. But now it’s time for me to move on and meet new challenges.”
It’s been more than a decade since Farr and Visentin began hosting the show, which provides homeowners with the opportunity to sell their homes following an interior design makeover from Farr. While Farr gives their home a touchup, Visentin shows the family new properties that could suit their needs in an effort to get them to opt for a completely new residence.
Farr said she made the decision to depart from the show a year ago, opening up about the desire to look for fresh and new challenges. She’s appeared in 258 episodes.
“I realized that everything that I am as a woman, which is [that I] look for challenges, look for inspiration, look for new ideas, be excited about all the possibilities that are out there, had really needed to bloom and to find their way,” she said, explaining that she “really had to examine” whether she’d return to the show or not. “I told everyone I’m done.”
In response to the news of her exit, her costar Visentin referred to their time on the show together as an exciting adventure.
“Working with Hilary has been a wild, unforgettable ride. I’d like to forget the mountain of ‘Love Its’ but hey, she’s a talented lady,” said Visentin in a statement. “Although we were rivals on the show, we became quick friends and share countless memories both on and off set. I look forward to continuing that friendship and wish her all the best in everything she does.”
Venturing off, Farr started hosting her own solo program on the network in 2021 called “Tough Love With Hilary Farr,” which is currently in its second season. During the show, Farr uses her expertise to revamp families’ disorganized homes and turn them into their dream spaces. There’s yet to be a confirmation for a Season 3 of the series, but Farr said she won’t be “stepping away.”
“It has been a joy working with Hilary for over a decade, showcasing her quick wit and ever-present charm in each episode,” HGTV head of content Loren Ruch said. “She and David will always be an esteemed HGTV duo, and the network looks forward to a new chapter for ‘Love It or List It.’”
For now, Farr, who is in remission following a 2014 cancer diagnosis, has set her attention on some real estate she purchased in Italy, where plans to build a “tiny house.”
“That will be an adventure,” Farr said.
