Historically, most HGTV personalities have required expertise in home renovation or design to host their own show. But in 2026, the network has been experimenting with new formats and new talent, including SNL alum Leslie Jones hosting “Roast My Rental” and “Bachelor” alum Tyler Cameron’s upcoming “Let’s Go Back to Your Place.” Now they’re adding Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski into the mix, with a new holiday show premiering on November 10.
Since 2014, Lipinski has been an NBC Sports figure-skating analyst and commentator alongside her dear friend and fellow Olympic champ Johnny Weir. Their precise critiques and over-the-top fashions are a perfect fit for each skating competition where they appear. But hosting HGTV’s “Big Bargain Holiday Showdown?” Turns out it actually makes more sense for Lipinski than it may seem.
Tara Lipinski Says Hosting ‘Big Bargain Holiday Showdown’ is a ‘Dream Come True’
On “Big Bargain Holiday Showdown,” two teams of friends, family, and neighbors are given 48 hours and $500 to transform one room in their homes into a “stunning winter-themed wonderland.” They get help from DIY experts Ashley Dixon and Clinton Tharp before their rooms are critiqued by two judges: Glitterville Studios’ founder and holiday designer Stephen Brown, and interior designer Pelar Fullilove.
Lipinski oversees the chaos, issuing challenges to the contestants and learning a few tricks of the trade along the way. A dozen years in broadcasting certainly helps, but it turns out the Olympian is also a Christmas decor superfan.
“It’s like the Griswolds at my house,” she told TV Insider before her show’s premiere. “I have a storage unit for my Christmas decorations, as well as decorations for many other holidays. I grew up with a mom who really loved the holidays, and decorating was a huge part of my childhood. To be able to do this show was sort of a dream come true.”
Tara Lipinski Says She Was Inspired By Contestants to Rethink Her Own Holiday Decorating
Lipinski isn’t exactly known as a bargain hunter, as she and Weir are known for their extravagant fashions, but she told TV Insider that hosting the show has given her a whole new perspective on decorating on a budget.
The “Traitors” alum told the outlet, “I would see the contestants show up, get their task, and think, ‘It’s impossible for them to do this on that budget!’ But they get down and dirty and get creative. Our experts also gave us so many tips and tricks. I was the host, but I was listening as a viewer, too, and picked up so much great advice that I’m going to incorporate into my own decorating this season.”
“Of course, Johnny and I splurge and go over the top on some things, but there are others where I absolutely, unequivocally will not spend a certain amount of money on something that I don’t think is that important,” she said. “I like having that mix. When it comes to Christmas decorations, watching how you can make them yourself has changed my thinking. I probably won’t spend the same amount of money I have in the past on many decorations, because now I know how I could do it a little more cheaply.”
“Big Bargain Holiday Showdown” premieres on HGTV on November 10 at 9 p.m. Eastern time and will be available to stream via HBO Max.
Why Is Olympian Tara Lipinski Hosting an HGTV Show? It Actually Makes Perfect Sense