Before the Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia empire, before they appeared on HGTV, before the long lines at Joanna’s silo shopping venue, before Chip’s fluctuating long hair and beard, before the shiplap, a casting tape was made.
To mark their cable debut tonight on the Magnolia Network, the Waco couple released their original Fixer Upper casting tape from 2012.
The video shows Chip and Joanna introducing themselves and their new company before they launch into their talents — fixing up old houses with a solid dose of banter and charm.
The Gaines’ devoted fans will love the 2-minute, 47-second video.
“This is where it all started,” Joanna said, showing how she has the couple’s business acumen.
At the close of the video, Chip shows his flair for fun, sitting on a toilet seat that’s part of an upcoming renovation: “How could you not want to watch this show?”
As it turns out, Chip was right. Fixer Upper was a hit and spun off into a business empire that launched Magnolia-branded products and shops.
Their Fixer Upper was rebooted into a Fixer Upper: Welcome Home series that showed its first four episodes on Discovery+ last year.
The Magnolia Network was originally supposed to be a cable channel taking over the struggling DIY Network. The launch was planned for October 2020, then pushed to 2021.
COVID-19 pandemic caused even more delays. In 2021, Magnolia Network President Allison Page said the initial plan involved launching on cable first and then move to streaming. Instead, streaming came first with the network launching on Discovery+ in July.
The Gaines’ joint venture with Discovery marks the rebranding of the DIY Network on traditional TV — if you call cable traditional TV.
The Magnolia Network will also feature episodes of The French Chef, the cooking show hosted by late culinary icon Julia Child. Episodes of the home improvement series This Old House and Ask This Old House will also air.
“It wasn’t long ago that watching TV meant time together as a family,” the Gaineses said in a statement. “It was a place where people of all ages could gather and be informed, entertained, and inspired by the kind of honest, authentic programming that brings people closer.”
