Last year I wrote a post about HGTV’s top-rated show “House Hunters” and its host, Suzanne Whang, an actress who has had small roles in movies like “Housesitter” and “Brothers and Sisters.” Soon after, she sort of . . . disappeared. She was replaced on the show by a bodiless voice that sort of sounds like her, but actually belongs to a voice-over artist named Colette Whitaker. (According to the IMDb, Whitaker also does the voice of Susan Mayer for the “Desperate Housewives” game.)
So many people have written to ask me where Whang went that I thought I’d tell you what I know. A reader sent me a note saying that she e-mailed the actress herself to ask her where she went and received a personal response. Here it is:
i left the show almost a year ago, after hosting it for almost a decade. they’ll still show my reruns for eternity, i imagine. feel free to post your comments or send an email to hgtv.com.
i am now headlining at stand-up comedy clubs, i’m guest hosting on the Game Show Network, writing my 2nd book, developing several television series to star in, doing professional keynote speaking, guest sermons, political activism, and charity work. life is good!
HGTV hasn’t made a big deal of her departure and continues to use her image on the “House Hunters” webpage. Maybe they’re hoping nobody notices that she’s been replaced.
Viewers did notice, however. If the amount of mail I’ve gotten about it is any indication, then I’m sure HGTV has also gotten an earful from upset fans. One man wrote and urged me–and everyone else–to boycott “House Hunters” altogether until she is reinstated. Another told me she immediately turns off the show if it’s an episode without Whang in it. Someone else wants to start a petition to get her back.
Have you missed her?
A Little “House Hunters” History:
The first episode of “House Hunters” aired in 2000 and within a couple of years it was HGTV’s hottest show. Until recently, they didn’t tell viewers how much the featured houses cost. Viewers were only given a vague idea of the buyer’s price range. As soon as “House Hunters” started revealing the prices of the homes in 2005, the ratings got even bigger. Turns out people like knowing the numbers (I know I do!). Producers took note and began creating entire shows built around the concept of house prices, such as “National Open House” and “What You Get for the Money.”
What’s your favorite home-improvement TV show? I took a poll last year and “House Hunters” was tied with “Designed to Sell.”
Tomorrow is Hooked on Fridays, a blog party I host each week to celebrate the things that make us happy. If you want to participate, simply write a post on your blog about something you’re “hooked on.” I’ll have Mr. Linky up and ready to go by 10:00 Thursday night (ET) so you can add your permalink to it. See you then!
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I’m a little late to this post, but I just had to say that I love House Hunters and I still watch it even though the cousin of a friend of mine was on the show a few years ago and in his case (I don’t know if this is how it works for every episode) the house they “chose” was actually already in escrow (by them) and the other 2 houses were chosen by the show. They weren’t making a choice at all.
Anyway, my faves right now are My House is Worth What and Bang for Your Buck because I love seeing (and critiquing, natch) what people do in their homes.
ashley morgan´s last blog ..Movin’ on up
My daughter called home from college in 2000 and told us to watch this show We have been faithful viewers since. Yes we noticed Suzanne was gone and are not pleased. You do not mess with success..
I like Suzanne so much better than any other of the shows with the pushy real estate women. The mother daughter tag team are so pushy and rude. The other woman I don’t even know her name that does Property Virgins I can’t stand her either. My friends and I loved the episode from Hyde Park (Cincinnati) where the twins wore the shirts pretty much telling her she didn’t know what she was trying to fool them into they did know their neighborhood.
she was the best, but I hope all her dreams come true………..
I just watched an episode of House Hunters and Suzanne was not hosting, I just today found out she is not on the show anymore. Instead the people hosting were the Mom/Daughter real estate team that are SO annoying.
I understand if Suzanne moved on to other things and wish her all the luck, but how hard is it to find a replacement who was as warm and sweet as her? If that mom/daughter team continue to host I might just stop watching.
Oh well, at least I have Property Virgins.
I would like to know what happened to Jennifer Bertrand, design star that was picked for 2008? I have not seen one show of hers. Does she indeed have a show and when does it air? this is very strange. The new star for 2009 has been chosen and his show will air on this Sunday September 20, 2009. But I have not seen anything for Jennifer Bertrand, what is the problem? I did not know Suzanne Whang was gone, but if she is it is HGTV”s lost, she was so sweet and such a wonderful host, but I did not miss her. Property Virginis host is Sandra Riganomo rude, but I like the show. It irks me to her asking them to guess the price of the house all the time, and the mother and daughter team, but I have not seen them lately, have you taken their show off the air?
I’m very unhappy that Suzanne Whang is not with House Hunters any more. If HGTV reads any of these comments I hope they know how much we miss her and how much I DON’T like thevoice of the lady who is trying desperately to sound like her. Her voice drives me batty. Does anyone know what ever happened to Hunky Carpenter Paul from Divine Design. I really miss him. Divine Design is one of my favorite shows and he was great to look at – plus he was talented as well.
We too have been big fans of House Hunters for years. Suzanne Whang was an excellent host for HH, and even though these comments are directed towards the departure of Suzanne, I’d like to make a comment about House Hunters in general.
Did House Hunters also change Producers/Directors/Creators this season? (2009)
This season of House Hunters has been the most bland season we have ever seen. The RE Agents have been unbearable with their low toned blah monologues. The prospective home buyers have not been as upbeat as they have been in years. The quality of homes prospective buyers has gone to the wayside of bland and boring homes. The show is not the same. Same as a lot of HGTV’s new shows this season, boring hosts covering boring renovations. The Young Guy who does the Basement Remodelings for investment properties needs to be teaching arithmetic to JR High students and not hosting a TV show.
I hate to make these comments on a Suzanne Whang article, but maybe someone at HGTV might read this and make the much needed changes with their programming to bring back the great shows they once had. Our viewing preferences are now geared towards DIY and TLC when it comes to “Home” type of shows because HGTV home shows have taken a turn for the worse.
Hope my comment makes it to someone that understands and also sees what has been changed at HGTV and will see to it that HGTV reinvents itself to glorious channel it once was. Until then, my remote will continue taking me to DIY and TLC who currently have the best “Home” type of shows TV has to offer today.
I Love HGTV. I never miss house hunters or property virgins. House hunter international I l ove. I feel like I am traveling. When there is nothing on t.v. I can depend on watching and enjoying anything on HGTV.
So are you telling me all those houses we see on House Hunters with Suzanne Whang have been sold years ago.
Where is Designed to Sell. I miss that show, it is
my favorite. I think I have seen all the episodes, most more than once.
How about the new show Rental Property. Another winner. HGTV ROCKS!!!!!
I miss Suzanne Whang also, the show isn’t the same with just a ghostly voice in the background. I’d like to see her back.
Glad I wasn’t crazy! I thought the voice was off for awhile, and weird how the show didn’t start with, “Hi, I’m Suzanne Whang!” I wouldn’t boycott the show because of it, but I really did like Ms. Whang. Hope she does great in whatever she’s doing now
HH and HHI used to be my favorite shows, but now… after I found out how it really works, it just changed the show. Like how finding out in the original Willy Wonka the river of chocolate was anything but. The show lost the magic after that – but I still watch from time to time.
I like Candice Olsen’s show, Bang for your Buck (It’s like “My House is Worth What?” without the annoying Kendra), and the underplayed Landscapers/Designers Challenge. O hgtv is sort of going downhill though…
I love Property Virgins because they film here in Cincinnati.
And House Hunters International – man, I get wanderlust every time I see an ep. However, wondering what Rebeva means by “how it really works.”
j–
I have been told by several people that “House Hunters” is faked. They have already bought a house and pretend to still be looking for one by touring two other houses. That’s probably what Rebeva is referring to. -Julia
I miss Suzanne very much. I’m sitting here watching Star Jones’ turn at hosting and I have to say that I just don’t care for her very much. First of all, she’s wearing a horrible flowered dress and her face looks bad since her weight loss. Suzanne’s voice is soothing, whereas Star’s voice is grating and hoarse,
Please bring Suzanne back!
Kenneth Brown appeared at a home show here in Houston a couple of years ago, and some of the questions he was asked had to do with how the shows on HGTV were produced. He said, “Oh, y’all don’t really want to know the truth about House Hunters, do you?” He said that yes, sometimes the “house hunters” have already bought their house and pretend to look at others, but I think that mainly has to do with the show’s shooting schedule–they want to make sure there’s actually a sale to follow up on. I think I’ve only seen one episode of House Hunters where a sale was not made, and that was before the format was changed to the current “which one of the three will they pick?”
I love House Hunters but I have a question about how they chose couples. Do they always look for a couple who both likes to cook and prepare food. It just does not seem real. And I do miss Suzanne Whang
My husband and I are hooked on House Hunters, but we miss Suzanne Very much. It’s just not the same without her. It is part of our HGTV nightly ritual. We love My First Place and Property Virgins too. Cannot stand host lady from The Unsellables, makes it unwatchable.
I don’t really miss Suzanne and I still love the show.
Divine Design is my fav.
My wife and I had noticed that Suzanne Whang was gone. We are both loyal House Hunters watchers, both domestic and international versions, with a preference for the latter.
While I have nothing against Ms. Whang, I do have to say that her departure hasn’t affected our watching of the show one bit. I don’t understand how people can get upset over someone who spent a sum total of perhaps two minutes on each show. The new disembodied voice works just fine for us.
We don’t miss her, and the show is still a success. If we were watching for her presence, we certainly would have chosen a show that gave her more face time!
I enjoyed Suzanne’s sense of humor and resent the fact that HGTV tried to fool us with someone who sounded so much like Ms Whang.
I for one resent the cartoonish imatation of Sussannes style. It spoils the whole show.
Please get her back or get someone with a style of their own.
We miss Suzanne and cannot believe she has been replaced. Bring her back! I can’t imagine the reason for replacing her, but do not that her absence is noted (prompting us to google her whereabouts!). Do not underestimate the power and importance of great “human capital.” Suzanne’s voice is soothing (her replacment is a depressing substitute) and seeing her on screen was always reassuring – she absolutely adds value to the show. Again, do what’s right and bring her back!
My wife and I are big fans of househunters and hgtv in general. We were also wondering what happened to Suzanne. We are saddened to here of her departure from hgtv. Good luck in all your future endeavors suzanne.
I recently saw an episode of On the Case with Paula Zahn on the Discovery Channel and the show dealt with a man, Johnathan Nyce, a scientist, father of 3 young children and married to a woman from the Phillipines. I remember once seeing a couple that matched this description exactly on House Hunters chossing between 3 houses as they moved from one end of the country to another. Does anyone remember seeing a House Hunters show with the above described person. If so, please let me know because as soon as I started watching the Paula Zahn show, I thought “I have seen this couple before and I think it was on House Hunters. Please let me know if you have any information on this as I cannot seem to find any information on this elsewhere.
I too have been upset with her not hosting House Hunters. It’s just not the same! Love it when there is a rerun, but really do not like the format of the new episodes without Ms. Whang. And, please, the faceless voice is so obviously NOT Suzanne Whang! Disgusting they would even try to fool their audience.
The nasal voice is already gone except for a few on House Hunters International. The new voice is very soothing and I believe it to be that of voiceover artist Yvette Lowenthal, who bought an apartment in Midtown, New York City, last year’s show. Her voice is really nice and I guess since she was a voice-over artist why not hire her to do House Hunts since she had been on the show as a buyer. The whiney voice/nasal was horrible and I turn the show off if that is the episode that has that voice!
Please DEMAND that Cablevision keep HGTV on its line-up!!!
HGTV is a favorite with many Cablevision viewers. Keep it where it is, or is Cablevision going to put it on another pay-for-view package. That would be robbery and outrageous!
I miss Suzanne very much. She made the show. I am pleased to see Sarah Richardson of “Sarah’s House” (FLN) is coming to HGTV. I too would like to know what happened to Jennifer the winner last year. I think there are way too many reruns on HGTV. Please make new episodes.
They have a new voice on house hunters more annoying then the first . Not surprised that it’s a setup AT ALL. On Jennifer her shoe was most likely canceled. Saw the first one and was not impressed.Most of the shows are changed due to the changing times. Color splash is one of the few that I still watch…
I miss Suzanne Whang on House Hunters. The new episodes are not that interesting..please bring Suzanne back.
I love and miss Suzanne on House Hunters (but will continue to watch). Thankfully enough, I follow her on twitter (@suzannewhang), so now it’s just a matter of getting her to tweet more often.
We have enjoyed House Hunters and House Hunters International over the years. Please bring back Suzanne Whang. We miss beautiful delivery.
House Hunters has lost all its personality with this ‘bodiless’ hostess.
I am very unhappy that suzanne Whang is not on HH anymore, I will not watch it anymore.
It is now boring and there are too many reruns. Where are the old shows and why were they taken off HGTV. Bring back Suaznne and better shows.
I thought something was off on HH’s. In particular, when Suzanne stopped appearing when the show opened. I can’t believe the studio would go to such lengths the deceive the public by bringing in a voice over. Obviously, they knew the audience appeal that Suzanne had. I’ve watched the show since it began and when the voice started sounding different — I would deliberately change the station. No matter, in my opinion the show tries hard and fails miserably.
Just watched a rerun with Suzanne…I miss her so much…she made the show. The sound-alike voice didn’t do it. The show just isn’t the same without her; however, keep it on the air!
The show is not the same without Suzanne’s soothing voice. We have watched the show faithfully in Canada on HGTV, and there is the same feeling of loss up here. I hope Suzanne reads every one of these posted comments, and knows just how much of an impact she has had on such a diverse crowd of dedicated followers. We love you Suzanne, and we miss you dearly.
I miss Suzanne’s sweet voice, she was the perfect host.
The new voice in the current House Hunters (Sabrina Soto?) tries to sound like Suzzane with no success. And the one in HH International sounds depressive. It’s like a drama documentary.
I want Decorating Cents back too, I enjoyed that show very much. I’m tired of Design to Sell and those new shows that HGTV has. It’s no longer my fav TV channel.
I miss Suzanne Whang on House Hunters. It’s one thing if she is too busy and doesn’t want to do HH anymore, but if she was let go, I would like to say….Please bring her back!
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