The Strange Way HGTV's Ty Pennington Landed His Job On Trading Spaces

Serendipity looms large in Ty Pennington's professional life. For instance, when a stranger at a gas station invited Pennington to model, he felt pretty skeptical. However, it was a legit opportunity that led to Pennington's quick dip in the modeling world. More importantly, it was a step on the path to his uber-successful TV career. While he modeled, Pennington did some TV commercials. Unfortunately, Pennington's involvement in a scary car crash, combined with the loss of his modeling portfolio, motivated him to return to working as a builder. Then, just when Pennington thought his on-camera days were over, his got a request to audition for "Trading Spaces."

Although this audition was crucial moment for career, at the time, Pennington wasn't particularly invested. "I honestly didn't care if I got the job or not, because I had a kitchen I had to finish," Pennington informed "For the Love Podcast." "And that's how you get a job."

From the start, Pennington stood out from the crowd. Oddly, even though he quickly became their top choice, Pennington wasn't so sure that he'd be a good fit for TV. However, he did have confidence in his carpentry skills. "I could tell from the scraps of wood that everybody was building flower boxes," Pennington recalled to Fox News. Instead, he decided to have some fun and go in a zany direction. "I started measuring his height instead, and the camera guy started laughing," Pennington added. "He could tell I was going to build Frank [Bielec] a coffin."

The casting staff at "Trading Spaces" had some specific job requirements. Ty Pennington later recalled to The List that his agency described the role in an intriguing way: "'They're looking for a carpenter that's half funny and half knows what they're doing.' And I was like, 'Well, I'm half of that.'" However, it seems like Pennington was being modest. Not only did he have the building know-how, he excelled in front of the camera. Pennington amused the crew with his antics, and he also forged a bond with his on-scene partner, Frank Bielec.

This wasn't the first time Pennington's sense of fun was contagious. Earlier, Pennington was sought after for TV commercials because of the positive vibes he brought on set. Surprisingly, Pennington wasn't even aware of his superpower. "I have the ability to make people relaxed and feel like themselves on camera. And I never realized it till 20 years down the road," the HGTV star explained to "For the Love Podcast."

On "Trading Spaces" Pennington's interpersonal skills were crucial as he collaborated with different designers. While Pennington left "Trading Spaces" a few years later to pursue better paying opportunities, he participated in a 2018 reboot. When Pennington started on the show way back in 2000, he had no idea it would be so successful. When he returned for the reboot, Pennington happily discovered that the bond between the cast hadn't changed. "We really were such a family. And so it was a blast," Pennington informed The List.