Part-time Durango resident Tim McClellan is the host of a new television show, “Boomtown Builder,” on DIY Network.
The pilot episode was filmed in Jerome, Arizona, and aired July 25. In the episode, McClellan helps a local sheriff modernize his 20th-century home while keeping its historic bones intact.
“The show is basically renovating historic homes in America’s boomtowns. There are hundreds of boomtowns that exploded overnight, and when the resources dried up, the houses went bust,” he said. “Now, the towns are booming because of natural beauty and tourism. I go through these buildings, find the history there and then bring them into the modern world.”
McClellan, a furniture designer, rose to reality television fame after appearing on Season 1 of HGTV’s “Ellen’s Design Challenge” in 2015. He was later disqualified after being announced as the show’s winner.
After taping the episode, McClellan was accused of copying his winning piece of furniture from another designer. Runner-up Katie Stout was declared the winner in light of the allegation.
Many people expressed outrage on social media over the decision, prompting the show’s host, Ellen DeGeneres, to bring McClellan on her talk show. McClellan denied copying the desk from European designer Simon Schacht.
He said people still talk about his time on “Ellen’s Design Challenge” today.
“Those comments may never go away. People were very upset about the outcome of that show,” McClellan said.
Despite the outcome, McClellan bears DeGeneres and her team no ill will. It was one of the show’s producers who reached out to him with the offer of hosting “Boomtown Builder.”
“They reached out a year ago about this show, thinking I would make a great host for it. I met with the production company and came to an agreement,” he said.
McClellan said feedback from the pilot episode was extremely good, and it will air again Aug. 13.
“They will air it again to get more feedback, and then we will know more of a timeline for the show after that,” he said.
The rest of the season has not been filmed, but McClellan said it will take place in and around Jerome.
“Each season will be filmed in a single town. Next season, we are hoping to work in the Four Corners area,” he said.
mrupani@durangoherald.com
