It’s the end of an era for HGTV’s Hilary Farr. After 19 seasons of Love It or List It, the beloved designer announced she is officially leaving the show.
“I’ve given it so many years of my life,” Hilary told People in an interview published on Friday, December 1. “It’s got me through hard times. It’s got the audiences through hard times. It has evolved into a mainstay of people’s lives, and it’s been incredibly gratifying. But now it’s time for me to move on and meet new challenges.”
The British-Canadian businesswoman first began her journey on Love it or List It with cohost David Visentin in 2008. The pair established a great friendship outside of the show, making her departure from the program bittersweet.
“He didn’t believe me. He said, ‘Oh, you say that,’” Hilary described David’s reaction when she told him that she would not be returning to the show for season 20.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show actress continued, “We are who we are [in real life] on that show,” adding, “Think of your brother as his most obnoxious and annoying, that’s David.”
Hilary went on to explain that David has been there for her through some of the most difficult periods of her life, including her breast cancer battle.
“I was working all the way through cancer and he was always there,” she reflected. “He had his little rough patches too here and there, and we were there for each other. Yeah, that’s a biggie. I don’t know that that’s going to change.”
It wasn’t easy for Hilary to come to this decision, but she realized she wanted to move on from Love It or List It while filming the recent season 19.
“I realized that everything that I am as a woman, which is [that I] look for challenges, look for inspiration, look for new ideas, be excited about all the possibilities that are out there, had really needed to bloom and to find their way,” she said. “I told everyone I’m done.”
In addition to appearing in Love It or List It, Hilary was given the opportunity to host her own series, Tough Love With Hilary Farr, on HGTV in late 2021. Season 2 premiered in September 2023. So far, she has not announced any plans to depart from her solo project.
“We’ll see what happens there,” Hilary, who is a mom to son Josh Farr, teased about a third season. “I’m not at all stepping away.”