Barbie is having a moment. To start with, there’s an upcoming movie full of Hollywood A-listers that has turned her into a meme. Also, she’s being featured in a pop-up cafe coming to New York and Chicago this summer. Then there’s the Barbiecore trend that’s all over TikTok right now.
The Mattel doll has changed a lot since Ruth Handler created her in 1959 to show girls they can be anything they want to be (right, Barbie?). The Barbie Dreamhouse was introduced in 1962 and it, too, has undergone many changes in 60 years. So, if you want to be a Barbie girl in a Barbie world, you have plenty of ways of doing that these days. And now, this includes a new four-episode HGTV show called “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge.”
The competition series brings together 15 HGTV stars (and one Food Network chef) to create the Barbie Dreamhouse. These include Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson of “Married to Real Estate,” Ty Pennington of “Rock the Block,” Alison Victoria of “Windy City Rehab,” Christina Hall and James Bender of “Christina on the Coast,” Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle Williams of “Luxe for Less,” and other home design and renovation experts from “Help! I Wrecked My House,” “Beachside Brawl,” “Farmhouse Fixer,” “Bargain Block” and “100 Day Dream Home.” The show’s host is Ashley Graham.
The stars will be split into eight teams to Barbie-fy a house in Southern California. We’re talking a kitchen straight out of the 1960s atomic age, a den for Ken with a ’70s disco vibe and a main bedroom featuring ’80s New Wave glam. During the broadcast, HGTV says some celebrity guests, pop culture history and “a plethora of Barbie surprises” are in store.
When it’s all done, a fan of the doll will win a stay in the home. The network hasn’t said how it will choose that fan, but if you’ve always wanted to live the Dreamhouse life, you might want to stay tuned to HGTV’s social media just in case.
To no one’s surprise, Food Network (also a Discovery Inc.-owned company), will get in on the Barbie action in “Summer Baking Championship” and “Beachside Brawl,” although it’s unclear right now how those shows will incorporate the popular doll.
If this sounds like it’s something both plastic and fantastic, you’ll want to check out the trailer on HBO Max (yes, it too is a Discovery company) and get ready to watch:
HGTV hasn’t set an exact airdate for “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge,” saying only that it’s coming this summer. However, the Greta Gerwig-directed “Barbie” movie will be in theaters on July 21, so it’s a safe bet you’ll see episodes around that time.
Do you have any favorite Barbie memories?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
