If you’ve tuned in to HGTV’s newest house-hunting series, “Cheap A$$ Beach Houses,” on Wednesday nights, the tongue-in-cheek narrator might sound familiar.
The show is voiced by Matthew Hoffman, who regularly appears as a reporter on “Extra” and was the voice of the hugely popular reality show “Love Island” during its first three seasons. And he says his new HGTV gig is a dream come true.
Matthew Hoffman Says Being on HGTV is His ‘Super Bowl’
GettyEach episode of “Cheap A$$ Beach Houses,” which premiered on HGTV in December 2025, is a fun romp through affordable abodes along sandy, sun-soaked shorelines across America.
Hoffman told Extra before the show premiered, “We are trying to, humorously, show the viewer what an affordable piece of paradise looks like, and we are following these unbelievable couples and families as they buy their cheap-ass beach house.”
He also told host Derek Hough, “It is an embarrassment of riches. I grew up with HGTV, so narrating this show is kind of like the equivalent of someone narrating the Super Bowl. This, to me, is like, less throwing, more throw pillows.”
Matthew Hoffman Says He Was Crying When He Got the HGTV Gig
Hoffman wasn’t kidding about being a huge HGTV fan. In a profile on the network’s website, he said, “I grew up watching Candice Olson, Genevieve Gorder and the Property Brothers. I mean, the theme music of Design on a Dime takes over my entire psyche!”
When Hoffman got to audition for the “Cheap A$$ Beach Houses” gig, he took it very seriously and made sure to give the script his own flair.
“I rewrote my reads, putting them through my lens and the way I speak,” he told HGTV. “Not long after, I got the call. I was in the kitchen with my parents and my team was on speakerphone because whenever they call, you know it’s going to be either tremendous or horrible news … and they said, ‘You’re it!’ and I just started crying — genuinely crying — because it was truly a dream come true to be part of the HGTV family.”
Hoffman records each episode in a tiny, padded recording booth at his home and told HGTV, “I watch the show as a fan and record it as a narrator. The biggest compliment is when a viewer remarks, ‘You say exactly what I’m thinking.’ A narrator has to earn the right to speak; you can’t just talk through someone’s favorite show because you like to hear yourself. The viewer needs to trust you to lead them along on the journey.”
“Cheap A$$ Beach Houses” airs on HGTV on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
