TLC’s hit cable TV show “Trading Spaces” — where pairs of real folks get 48 hours, $1,000 and design pros to tart up each others’ style-challenged rooms — is getting its own facelift.
“We are going to make some tweaks, evolve it and loosen things up a bit,” says show publicist Don Holcombe. “We want to get into the unscripted part of it, try to make it a bit more spontaneous.”
“Trading Spaces,” the U.S. derivative of the Brit hit “Changing Rooms,” may be the victim of over-exposure: constant reruns plus the “Trading Spaces: Family” spinoff and other networks’ rival shows. Daily Variety, the entertainment industry bible, blames “an attack of the clones” for plunging TLC’s total viewership from ninth to 16th place among ad-supported cable networks since last year.
The newly tweaked fifth season will start in October, with Paige Davis returning as host. There will be a few new designers, including one chosen by viewers from among four finalists. Holcombe says hopefuls should apply to: Banyan Productions, Attn: Trading Spaces Application, 530 Walnut St. Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, or online at http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/tradin gspaces/geton/geton.html.
