Erin and Ben Napier : Erin and Ben Napier announce new Home Town Takeover in Canada but won’t host due to Canadian broadcast laws. Discover the legal reasons and who will replace them.
Erin and Ben Napier are expanding their beloved “Home Town” franchise with an exciting new spinoff—but fans expecting to see the charismatic couple leading renovations will be surprised to learn they won’t be the main hosts. The upcoming “Home Town Takeover” heads north to Canada, and unique Canadian broadcasting regulations prevent the American HGTV stars from taking their usual leadership roles.
Erin and Ben Napier Canada Expansion: A New Chapter
Since “Home Town” premiered in 2016, Erin and Ben Napier have become HGTV royalty, transforming their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, into a destination for home renovation enthusiasts nationwide. Their authentic Southern charm, genuine marriage dynamic, and commitment to revitalizing small-town America have resonated with millions of viewers, spawning multiple successful spinoffs.
The “Home Town” empire now includes several popular variations: “Home Town Takeover,” which brings the Napiers’ renovation magic to entire communities beyond Laurel; “Home Town Kickstart,” focusing on jumpstarting small-town economies; and “Ben’s Workshop,” showcasing Ben’s woodworking expertise and craftsmanship. Each spinoff maintains the core philosophy that made the original series successful—celebrating historic architecture, supporting local businesses, and demonstrating how thoughtful renovation can revitalize entire communities.
The Canadian “Home Town Takeover” represents the franchise’s first international expansion, acknowledging that small towns everywhere face similar challenges of economic decline, population loss, and aging infrastructure. Canadian communities have watched American towns transform through the Napiers’ interventions and expressed interest in similar revitalization efforts.
However, this exciting expansion comes with an unexpected twist: Canadian broadcasting regulations require that shows produced for Canadian audiences be hosted by Canadian talent. This legal requirement means Erin and Ben Napier will appear only as guest stars rather than leading the renovations as they do in American productions.
Why Can’t Erin and Ben Napier Host the Canadian Show?
The answer lies in Canadian content regulations designed to protect and promote Canadian cultural industries. Erin Napier explained the situation clearly during an interview with Cinemablend, revealing the legal barriers preventing their usual hosting role.
“Our production company is Canadian. The people who make our show, they’re passionate about this Canadian takeover,” Erin said. “But because we’re Americans, we’re not legally allowed to host the show. We can only be in it as, like guest stars.”
Ben added additional context about the specific regulations: “A Canadian broadcast show has to be hosted by Canadian talent.”
This requirement stems from Canada’s Online Streaming Act, passed in April 2023. The legislation aims to ensure that “Canadians see more opportunities to see themselves in what they watch and hear” while supporting “Canadian creators and creative industries” and increasing “representation of equity seeking groups.”
The Act represents Canada’s response to the dominance of American content in Canadian media markets. For decades, Canadian audiences have primarily consumed American television, movies, and streaming content, raising concerns about cultural sovereignty and whether Canadian stories, perspectives, and talent receive adequate representation.
By requiring Canadian hosts for Canadian productions, the legislation ensures that Canadian performers, personalities, and voices remain visible in their own media landscape. This policy supports Canadian entertainment industry jobs while guaranteeing that audiences see people who reflect their own cultural context and experiences.
For the Napiers, this means stepping back from their usual central roles while still contributing their expertise and philosophy to the Canadian production. They’ll appear periodically as guest stars, likely offering guidance, sharing renovation wisdom, and connecting the Canadian spinoff to the broader “Home Town” universe.
Understanding Canada’s Online Streaming Act
The Online Streaming Act, also known as Bill C-11, represents significant Canadian legislation affecting how streaming services and broadcast content operate within Canada. Understanding this law provides context for why the Napiers face hosting restrictions.
The Act updates Canada’s Broadcasting Act for the streaming era, extending regulations that previously applied only to traditional broadcasters to include streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and others operating in Canada. The legislation pursues several key objectives:
Supporting Canadian content creation: The Act requires streaming services to contribute financially to Canadian content production, ensuring that Canadian stories receive funding and distribution opportunities comparable to American productions.
Promoting Canadian talent: By mandating Canadian participation in productions intended for Canadian audiences, the law creates employment opportunities for Canadian actors, hosts, producers, and crew members who might otherwise lose work to American imports.
Ensuring cultural representation: The legislation specifically emphasizes representation of “equity seeking groups,” including Indigenous peoples, people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, and people with disabilities. This focus addresses historical underrepresentation in Canadian media.
Leveling the playing field: Traditional Canadian broadcasters have long faced content requirements that streaming services avoided. The Act creates equal obligations, preventing streaming platforms from gaining competitive advantages by avoiding Canadian content mandates.
For viewers, these regulations mean that shows produced for Canadian audiences—whether for traditional television or streaming platforms—must meet Canadian content requirements. These requirements often specify percentages of Canadian talent, crew, and production resources.
The “Home Town Takeover” Canadian edition triggers these requirements because it’s being produced specifically for Canadian broadcast and streaming. Even though the Napiers’ American production company developed the concept, creating a version for Canadian audiences means complying with Canadian regulations.
The New Canadian Hosts: Another Husband-and-Wife Team
While the Napiers can’t lead the Canadian “Home Town Takeover,” they’ve been involved in selecting the hosts who will. During their Cinemablend interview, Ben revealed that the new hosts have already been chosen and that the couple fully supports the selection.
“We know who it is, and I can say that we really like them,” Ben said. “It’s another husband and wife team.”
This detail suggests the Canadian production will maintain one of “Home Town’s” most appealing elements—the authentic dynamic between married partners working together. The Napiers’ relationship provides much of the original show’s charm, with their genuine affection, complementary skills, and occasional playful disagreements creating relatable, entertaining television.
Selecting another married couple indicates the production team understands that relationship chemistry contributes significantly to the show’s success. Viewers don’t just watch for renovation tips and design inspiration—they tune in to see couples navigating projects together, making compromises, celebrating victories, and supporting each other through challenges.
The new hosts presumably bring renovation expertise, design sensibility, and the ability to connect with homeowners and communities—all essential “Home Town” qualities. They likely also understand Canadian architecture, building codes, climate considerations, and regional design preferences that differ from American contexts.
Canadian homes often face different challenges than American properties. Harsh winters require specific insulation, heating, and weatherproofing considerations. Heritage homes may reflect British, French, or Indigenous architectural influences distinct from American historic styles. Local building materials, construction methods, and preservation regulations vary significantly from Mississippi.
Having Canadian hosts who understand these nuances ensures the show provides relevant, practical advice for Canadian viewers while respecting regional architectural heritage and building traditions.
The Napiers’ endorsement of the new hosts suggests continuity of values and approach. While viewers will see different faces, the underlying philosophy of celebrating small towns, honoring historic architecture, and building community connections will likely remain consistent.
The Napiers’ Journey: From Laurel to HGTV Fame
Understanding the Napiers’ trajectory helps appreciate how their success enables international expansion. Erin and Ben Napier didn’t set out to become television stars—their fame emerged from genuine commitment to revitalizing their Mississippi hometown.
The couple married in 2008 and settled in Laurel, Mississippi, a small city that had seen better economic days. Rather than moving to larger cities with more opportunities, they chose to invest in Laurel’s future, believing that small towns possess inherent value worth preserving and enhancing.
They founded Laurel Mercantile Co., a business promoting local goods, artisans, and the town’s renaissance. Ben’s woodworking business created custom furniture and architectural elements, while Erin’s design work and social media presence showcased Laurel’s potential.
Their efforts attracted HGTV’s attention, leading to “Home Town’s” 2016 premiere. The show documents their work renovating Laurel’s historic homes while partnering with local merchants and craftspeople. This hyperlocal focus—celebrating one specific community rather than generic anywhere-USA locations—distinguished “Home Town” from countless other renovation shows.
The formula worked beautifully. Viewers responded to the Napiers’ authenticity, their obvious love for each other and their community, and their philosophy that home renovation serves broader purposes beyond aesthetics. Their work strengthens communities, preserves history, supports local economies, and helps families build lives in places that matter to them.
Success brought opportunities to expand their mission beyond Laurel. “Home Town Takeover” applies their approach to entire towns, undertaking multiple renovation projects simultaneously to jumpstart community revitalization. “Home Town Kickstart” focuses on economic development alongside physical renovation. “Ben’s Workshop” showcases traditional craftsmanship increasingly rare in modern construction.
Now parents to daughters Helen and Mae, the Napiers balance growing fame with family life and continued commitment to Laurel. They haven’t abandoned their hometown for Los Angeles or New York—they remain rooted in Mississippi while their influence extends nationally and now internationally.
Home Town Season 9: What to Expect in January 2026
While the Canadian spinoff develops, American fans can anticipate new “Home Town” episodes arriving January 4, 2026, on HGTV at 8 PM ET/PT. Season 9 will continue documenting the Napiers’ work in Laurel and surrounding Mississippi communities.
Though specific episode details remain under wraps, viewers can expect the show’s familiar formula: couples or families purchasing historic homes requiring significant renovation, the Napiers designing solutions that honor original architecture while meeting modern needs, Ben crafting custom woodwork and furniture, and Erin sourcing vintage elements and coordinating design details.
The show typically balances dramatic before-and-after transformations with intimate moments revealing homeowners’ stories and the Napiers’ relationship dynamics. Viewers learn why families chose these particular houses, what memories and dreams they’re building, and how renovation decisions reflect their values and lifestyles.
Season 9 may also address how “Home Town’s” success has affected Laurel itself. Tourism has increased significantly since the show premiered, with fans visiting to see renovated homes, shop at local businesses featured in episodes, and experience the community the Napiers celebrate. This tourism brings economic benefits but also challenges as the small town manages increased attention.
The Napiers remain thoughtful about balancing Laurel’s growth with preserving the authentic small-town character that makes it special. Their renovations prioritize residents’ needs over tourist attractions, ensuring that Laurel remains a real community rather than becoming a theme park version of itself.
The Heirloom Hotel Fire: Tragedy and Resilience
Alongside the new season and Canadian expansion, 2026 will bring another significant “Home Town” story—the Heirloom Hotel renovation following a devastating fire. This project, originally featured in HGTV’s “Inn This Together,” took a tragic turn that will ultimately showcase human resilience and determination.
The 30-room boutique hotel in Laurel was undergoing renovation for “Inn This Together,” which documents couples transforming properties into hospitality businesses. Owners Mallorie and Jim Rasberry and Joshua Nowell were creating a destination that would attract visitors to Laurel while preserving historic architecture.
On August 26, 2025, disaster struck when fire broke out in the building. Erin Napier shared her devastation on Instagram, describing watching the blaze with the Rasberrys and Nowell: “We held each other and watched while the brave fire fighters from the Laurel FD worked for hours to get it under control. Today feels like a funeral.”
The post captured the emotional impact on everyone involved. This wasn’t just a business setback—it represented years of planning, investment, and dreams literally going up in smoke. For Laurel, the hotel fire threatened an anchor project expected to drive tourism and economic development.
However, the story doesn’t end with destruction. The hotel owners demonstrated remarkable resilience, choosing to rebuild despite the setback. Erin confirmed to USA TODAY that the renovation will air in 2026, though specific dates haven’t been set.
“They’re still somehow finding a way to keep looking at the next steps and (asking), ‘Where do we go from here?'” Erin explained. “And I don’t know where they’re going to go, yet. But, man, I’m proud of them. I think − even though it didn’t go the way we all were expecting and hoping and excited about − if you want to see human endurance and the spirit of we can do hard things, it is going to be that hotel series.”
This transformation from tragedy to triumph embodies themes central to “Home Town’s” appeal. The show has always celebrated perseverance, community support, and finding beauty amid challenges. The Heirloom Hotel story will provide powerful testimony to these values.
Viewers will witness not just physical reconstruction but emotional recovery—how the owners processed devastating loss, made decisions about whether to continue, rallied community support, and ultimately chose hope over despair. The series will likely explore insurance challenges, construction decisions after fire damage, and the mental health aspects of recovering from such trauma.
The rebuilt hotel will carry special significance for Laurel and “Home Town” fans. It represents community resilience and demonstrates that setbacks, however severe, need not define outcomes. The Napiers’ support for the project and their willingness to share this difficult journey reflects their commitment to authentic storytelling that acknowledges life’s hardships alongside its joys.
The Broader Impact of Home Town’s Success
The Canadian expansion and continued production of multiple spinoffs demonstrates “Home Town’s” significant cultural impact beyond entertainment. The show has influenced how Americans think about small towns, historic preservation, and community building.
For years, cultural narratives emphasized urban migration, with talented young people leaving small towns for big-city opportunities. “Home Town” presents an alternative vision where small towns offer quality of life, community connections, and meaningful work that cities can’t replicate.
This message resonates particularly with millennials and Gen Z viewers reassessing life priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated remote work adoption, enabling people to live anywhere with internet access. Many reconsidered expensive urban living in favor of affordable small towns offering space, nature, and community.
“Home Town” provides a roadmap for this transition, showing that small-town life doesn’t require sacrificing style, culture, or quality. The Napiers demonstrate that thoughtful renovation creates beautiful homes anywhere, that small towns support vibrant creative communities, and that economic opportunity exists beyond major metropolitan areas.
The show’s influence extends to real estate markets, with Laurel and similar small towns experiencing increased interest from potential residents who discovered these communities through “Home Town.” This phenomenon creates both opportunities and challenges as towns balance newcomers with existing residents and manage growth sustainably.
Historic preservation has also benefited from the show’s popularity. The Napiers’ emphasis on saving and restoring older homes rather than demolishing them has inspired viewers nationwide to see potential in neglected historic properties. This preservation work saves architectural heritage while providing sustainable alternatives to new construction.
Local businesses featured on “Home Town” gain national exposure, with viewers seeking products from Laurel artisans and craftspeople. This economic boost demonstrates how media representation can translate into tangible community benefits.
The Canadian expansion suggests “Home Town’s” themes transcend national boundaries. Small towns worldwide face similar challenges, and the Napiers’ approach to revitalization offers principles applicable across cultures and contexts.
What Canadian Viewers Can Expect
Canadian audiences anticipating “Home Town Takeover” will likely see familiar “Home Town” elements adapted for Canadian contexts:
Celebrating historic architecture: Canada possesses rich architectural heritage reflecting British, French, and Indigenous influences alongside regional variations. The Canadian hosts will likely showcase this diversity while demonstrating restoration techniques appropriate for Canadian climates and building traditions.
Supporting local businesses: Like American small towns, Canadian communities benefit when residents shop locally and support regional artisans. The show will probably feature Canadian craftspeople, furniture makers, and merchants whose work reflects Canadian design sensibilities.
Community revitalization: Economic challenges, population loss, and infrastructure aging affect Canadian small towns similarly to American counterparts. The show’s community-focused approach will resonate with Canadians seeking models for rural and small-town renewal.
Authentic relationships: The married hosts’ dynamic will provide the interpersonal chemistry that makes “Home Town” engaging beyond renovation specifics. Viewers want to see real couples navigating projects together, not scripted personalities performing for cameras.
Regional identity: Canadian provinces possess distinct characters, architecture, and cultural traditions. The show will likely celebrate these regional differences rather than presenting homogenized “Canadian” identity, much as American “Home Town” honors Mississippi’s specific culture.
Climate considerations: Canadian renovations must address harsh winters, significant temperature variations, and weather challenges less common in Mississippi. Insulation, heating systems, and weatherproofing will likely receive more emphasis than in American episodes.
The Canadian production will hopefully avoid simply copying the American formula while honoring what makes “Home Town” successful. Canadian audiences want to see themselves reflected—their architecture, climate challenges, regional cultures, and community values—rather than watching Americans impose foreign approaches.
The Future of the Home Town Empire
The Canadian expansion demonstrates that the “Home Town” concept possesses international appeal and adaptability. This success could inspire additional international versions showcasing how communities worldwide approach renovation, preservation, and revitalization differently.
For the Napiers, the Canadian show represents validation that their philosophy resonates beyond American contexts. Their emphasis on community, craftsmanship, and authentic storytelling translates across borders, suggesting universal human desires for connection, beauty, and meaningful places to call home.
The challenge moving forward involves maintaining quality and authenticity while expanding the brand. Multiple spinoffs risk diluting what makes “Home Town” special—the Napiers themselves, their genuine commitment to Laurel, and their philosophy that renovation serves purposes beyond aesthetics.
However, if the Canadian production succeeds by finding hosts who embody similar values and authenticity, it could provide a template for sustainable expansion. Rather than the Napiers trying to be everywhere simultaneously, regional versions with local hosts who share their philosophy could extend the “Home Town” mission globally while maintaining the qualities that make the show resonate.
For now, fans can look forward to the new “Home Town” season, the eventual Heirloom Hotel story, and the Canadian spinoff featuring hosts approved by the Napiers themselves. Each project advances the mission of celebrating small-town life, preserving architectural heritage, and demonstrating that home is not just where you live but how you invest in place, community, and the people around you.
Read More : Rob Reiner Tribute: Billy Crystal and Martin Short Honor Legendary Director After Tragic Death
