Chip, Joanna Gaines delay launch of Magnolia network until lockdown is lifted
Home renovation experts Chip and Joanna Gaines said they're delaying the launch of the Magnolia network until after state lockdowns are lifted and TV production can start back up.
The network, which Deadline reports as being a "take over [of] Discovery’s DIY Network after a rebrand," was originally scheduled for an Oct. 4 launch.
“Right now, it’s important that we all continue to look out for one another by upholding the guidelines set forth by the experts, leaders and front-line heroes working tirelessly to get us all through this difficult time,” Chip and Joanna Gaines said in a statement to Deadline.
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“With this as our top priority, we’ve decided to delay Magnolia Network’s launch until we can safely resume production. We have an incredible team behind us and we look forward to the days ahead when we can get back to work, telling good stories that encourage, motivate and inspire hope.”
In Texas, where the Christian couple is based, some nonessential retail services were allowed to reopen on Friday, such as clothing stores and restaurants that offer curbside pickup and deliveries. Filming in the state, however, won't be allowed to start back up until after April 30 at the earliest.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in an April 17 executive order that "retail services that are not 'essential services,' but that may be provided through pickup, delivery by mail, or delivery to the customer’s doorstep in strict compliance with the terms required by DSHS" would be allowed to reopen.
The governor added: "In accordance with the guidelines from the President and the CDC, people shall avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts, or visiting gyms, massage establishments, tattoo studios, piercing studios, or cosmetology salons ..."
While some restaurants in the state are reopening for delivery and pickup orders, the couple's Magnolia Table restaurant in Waco remains closed.
As far as their TV network is concerned, a new launch date hasn't been announced. However, the couple said they will host a four-hour preview special on Sunday to give viewers a look at the types of shows the Magnolia network will be airing.
The network will feature 10 new shows, mostly consisting of home renovation and food shows, including: Magnolia – “Bespoke Kitchens, “Family Dinner” (hosted by Andrew Zimmern), “Restoration Road,” “The Fieldhouse,” “Super Dad” (starring Taylor Calmus), “Home Work; The Lost Kitchen,” “Inn the Works,” “Growing Floret,” and “Home on the Road.”
Magnolia Network President Allison Page, who first met the couple seven years ago, told Deadline that the couple's "authenticity, relatability, family focus and zest for life [is what] made America fall in love with them."
