In a ground-breaking collaboration between Mattel and HGTV, the beloved icon, Barbie’s Dreamhouse, was reimagined into a riveting competition show, aptly titled Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge. Premiered on July 16, the series, hosted by the charismatic Ashley Graham, came to life with four distinct episodes. The series is co-produced by Mission Control and Mattel Television, and the inaugural episode immediately caught the viewers’ fascination, as approximately four million tuned in to experience the unique renovation.
Women Show High Engagement in Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge
Interestingly, the Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge appeared to strike a chord particularly among the female audience. Statistics showed a remarkable .77 L3 rating amongst women aged 25-54, compared to a .55 L3 for adults overall within the same demographic. Meanwhile, among upscale women of the same age group, the show acquired a .79 L3 rating, while the rating for upscale adults stood at .55 L3. These upscale ratings propelled the series into the league of top 5 cable premieres. Moreover, the series also made waves on digital platforms. The total viewership for all related content, which encompassed behind-the-scenes footage and sneak peeks, exceeded nine million views across HGTV’s platforms. These numbers included views from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Threads.
Celebrity Powered Renovation Teams
The engaging structure of Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge brings together eight teams consisting of HGTV stars and a Food Network chef. Their mission: to transform a Southern California home into a life-sized Barbie mansion. The debut episode spotlighted the house’s first floor, setting the stage for a battle between Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson of Married to Real Estate, and Jasmine Roth of Help! I Wrecked My House, joined by Food Network chef Antonia Lofaso of Beachside Brawl. The former team fashioned a 1990s-themed living and dining room, while the latter team brought the 1960s back to life in the kitchen and family room. Viewers were treated to surprise appearances from celebrities, including Barbie cast members Margot Robbie, Simu Liu, and America Ferrera. Notably, Jonathan Knight, Kristina Crestin, Keith Bynum, Ty Pennington, Christina Hall, Anthony Elle Williams, Alison Victoria, James Bender, Michel Smith Boyd, Evan Thomas, and Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt will also compete in the coming episodes.
Jasmine Roth Shares Insights into the Barbie-Inspired Challenge
Coinciding with the premiere of Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge, Tania Hussain conversed with Jasmine Roth about her design strategy, her bond with Barbie, the forthcoming excitement of the show, among other topics. Roth shared that she and Lofaso endeavored to recapture the “nostalgia of the original Barbie,” a task she found simultaneously thrilling and nerve-wracking. Roth expressed a personal connection with Barbie, reflecting that “any occupation or career that you wanted to be was represented through Barbie, was something that I really connected with.” Finally, Roth provided a glimpse into the rest of the episodes, promising competitive vigor combined with fun. She also underscored the unique perspectives each competitor brings to the challenge, saying:
“There are some really creative spaces… it’s just all about what would Barbie do. How would Barbie want her house? If you think about all of us different hosts and the shows that we have and take that and then marry that with the Barbie brand, it’s really fun because everybody has such a different viewpoint and a different idea of what Barbie is to them. It’s like a personal take from each host as to what Barbie is, and then you add the decades on top of that.”
You can tune into Barbie’s Dreamhouse Challenge on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV. The episodes are also available to stream on Max the same day and time. Do not miss out on this riveting series and watch the trailer below:
