HGTV has found itself in hot water with viewers yet again after taking a break from its traditional home renovation content in order to air the hit Christmas movie “Elf” twice within a matter of days.
The network—which recently came under fire for canceling a host of different shows—aired the popular festive flick on consecutive days, according to TV Insider. First, “Elf” was broadcast on Nov. 13, before again being shown the following night.
But far from eliciting a jolly reaction from viewers, the decision to show the Christmas movie prompted outrage from HGTV fans, some of whom took to Reddit to voice their outrage.
“Why is ‘Elf’ on HGTV?” one person questioned. “This is the second week in a row that some lame azz old movie is on HGTV. Where are the design shows?!? If this is the new direction of HGTV, I’m out.”
Another user added, “It’s like it’s a glitch or something. Makes zero sense. The movie last week, and ‘Elf’ this week, traditionally will play almost non-stop on other channels for the next six weeks or so. NO reason I can think of for xmas movies on HGTV. Weird.”
A different viewer threw a fit about the network’s decision to cancel several beloved series, penning, “We don’t tune into HGTV to watch ‘Elf.’
“Sounds like HGTV management needs to bring back some of the cancelled programs that actually highlighted home building, remodeling, landscaping and interior design.”
“They eliminated almost all of the good shows and now have nothing. Someone didn’t plan ahead and now HGTV is agonizing,” another person wrote.
A spokesperson for the network told Entertainment Weekly that the decision to air Christmas content came out of a desire to offer more variety to viewers.
“HGTV is always looking for ways to diversify its lineup, and we’ve found our fans love to find iconic movies on the schedule,” they said.
And despite the backlash, the network has continued to ramp up their holiday content, airing another hit festive movie, “A Christmas Story,” twice on Nov. 20.
It will also be airing “Candy Cane Lane” on Thanksgiving.
The switch up comes months after the network sparked furious controversy when it revealed that it was canceling several popular shows: “Bargain Block,” “Married to Real Estate,” “Farmhouse Fixer,” “Izzy Does It,” “Christina on the Coast,” and “The Flipping El Moussas.”
Though the network did not comment on the cancellations, reports at the time suggested that the move came amid a ratings disaster that had seen HGTV losing half of its audience within a matter of years.
The network has not yet commented on claims made in a report by Deadline, which suggested that plummeting viewer numbers were to blame for the removal of multiple HGTV shows earlier this year.
The outlet, which spoke to numerous sources that produce for the network, said that HGTV averaged about 1.5 million viewers in 2017, citing Nielsen.
However, since then, the network has struggled to bring in audiences, with its average viewership last year coming in at 773,000.
The U.S. Television Database lists HGTV as the seventh most popular TV channel, with an average of 628,000 viewers.
According to Deadline’s story, the company is struggling to attract viewers aged 18 to 49, losing 26% among that demographic in the past year.
In 2017, viewers aged 18 to 49 averaged 425,000, while 2024 saw only 101,000.
The outlet noted that part of the reason for HGTV’s troubles is the large budget it takes to produce and put on a home renovation show.
The overhaul shows reportedly cost upward of $500,000 per episode.
One source told the outlet, “Home reno shows are expensive because all of the materials are jacked up and on delay, the price of wood and marble and everything else is going up, so these shows don’t make as much sense anymore.”
An unnamed producer who makes the network’s renovation shows come to life said, “Stuff wouldn’t arrive on time; we had wood floors, for instance, that would come in six weeks after we started production, and then we’re also depending on contractors.
“Everyone knows if you’re doing construction on your home, you never come in on budget. So, try to apply that to a show that has really strict budgets. Some of our episodes took 16 weeks to shoot; it’s more labor-intensive than doing a real estate show.”
Real estate shows reportedly cost around $200,000 to $300,00 per episode and take a shorter amount of time to film.
HGTV is also struggling to compete with social media creators who show off their DIY renovations on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Since June 18, the hosts of “Bargain Block,” “Married to Real Estate,” “Farmhouse Fixer,” and “Izzy Does It” have all shared the heartbreaking news about their shows’ cancellations.
The following week, sources said that “Christina on the Coast” and “The Flipping El Moussas” had been given the ax by the network.