This Old House was once a staple of American public television. The home improvement show first aired in 1979 and ran for 38 seasons, becoming one of the most popular and longest-running programs in PBS history. But in 2017, the show took a hiatus, and its former host, Bob Vila, was conspicuously absent. So what happened? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the history of This Old House and what Bob Vila’s role was in its success. We’ll also explore the reasons behind the show’s hiatus and speculate on what the future may hold for its iconic host.
The host of This Old House
It’s been nearly a decade since Bob Vila stepped away from hosting This Old House, and the home improvement world hasn’t been the same since. For those who don’t know, This Old House is a long-running home improvement show that started in 1979. The show follows a team of renovators as they gut and rebuild an old house, usually from scratch. Vila was the host of the show for its first 11 seasons, and his work on the show earned him a loyal following of fans.
So what happened to Vila after he left This Old House? These days, he’s still working in the home improvement industry, but he’s doing it on his own terms. In 2012, he launched BobVila.com, a website dedicated to home improvement advice, projects, and products. He also has a line of branded products sold through Home Depot. And although he’s no longer appearing on television regularly, he does make occasional appearances on shows like The Today Show and Good Morning America.
In short, Bob Vila is still very much involved in the world of home improvement – just not in the way that we’re used to seeing him. READ MORE
What happened to him?
The answer to the question “What happened to the former host of This Old House?” is actually quite simple. He left the show.
Bob Vila, the man who served as host of This Old House for nearly two decades, left the show in 1989. Since then, he has gone on to host a number of other shows, including his own home improvement series, Bob Vila’s Home Again.
While it is not clear why Vila left This Old House, it is likely that he simply wanted to move on to new projects. Whatever the reason, his departure marked the end of an era for the beloved home improvement show.
How is he doing now?
Since his departure from This Old House, Bob Vila has continued to work in home improvement and media. He has hosted several shows on PBS, including The New Yankee Workshop and Home Again with Bob Vila. He also has a weekly podcast called Bob Vila Radio. In addition to his work in television and radio, Vila has written several books on home improvement.
Conclusion
It’s been nearly a decade since Bob Vila left This Old House, and in that time, he’s kept a pretty low profile. For fans of the show, it’s been curious to see what he’s been up to and where he is now. Thankfully, Bob Vila has resurfaced in recent years and is back to doing what he does best: helping people with home improvement projects. In an interview with This Old House magazine, Bob Vila stated that he’s “happy to be back in the game” and that he hopes to continue helping people with their home improvement needs for many years to come.
Background on This Old House
This Old House is a home renovation television series that premiered in 1979. The show starred Bob Vila as the host from 1979 to 1989. The show was produced by WGBH in Boston and syndicated to PBS stations nationwide.
After Vila left the show, This Old House underwent a number of changes. The most notable change was the addition of Norm Abram as the new host. Abram had been a carpenter on the show since its inception and was already a popular figure with viewers. Other changes included a new opening sequence and theme song, and an increased focus on do-it-yourself projects.
Despite these changes, This Old House continued to be popular with viewers and remains one of PBS’s most successful programs.
Bob Vila as the host of This Old House
In 1989, public television station WGBH in Boston approached Bob Vila, then a host on The Home Show, about the possibility of hosting a new series called This Old House. Vila agreed and became the show’s first host.
This Old House debuted in February of 1979 with an episode featuring a dilapidated Victorian house in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Over the next few seasons, viewers watched as Vila and his team transformed the house into a beautiful home.
Vila remained the host of This Old House until December of 1989, when he left the show to pursue other interests. He was replaced by Steve Thomas.
Since leaving This Old House, Vila has continued to work in television, hosting several home improvement shows on cable TV. He has also written several books on home renovation and appeared as a guest on many talk shows.
The end of Bob Vila’s hosting career
In 1989, Bob Vila officially left This Old House. His last episode aired in December of that year. Over the next few years, he continued to make occasional appearances on the show, but his role became increasingly limited. By the early 2000s, he had stopped appearing on the show altogether.
What caused such a sudden and dramatic change? It turns out that there was no one single event or factor that led to Vila’s departure from This Old House. Instead, it was a combination of several factors that ultimately led to him leaving the show.
One factor was simply the passage of time. This Old House had been on the air for nearly 20 years by the time Vila left, and it was starting to feel stale. The show needed fresh blood, and Vila was no longer seen as an essential part of the equation.
Another factor was money. Vila was reportedly earning $500,000 per year by the early 1990s, which made him one of the highest-paid hosts on television at that time. But as This Old House’s ratings began to decline in the early 1990s, so too did Vila’s salary. He eventually agreed to take a pay cut in order to stay on the show, but by then it was too late – he had already been demoted from his position as host and replaced by Steve Thomas.
And finally, there were personal issues at play as well. In 1996, Vila’s wife filed
Where is Bob Vila now?
Since his days hosting This Old House, Bob Vila has kept busy with a variety of projects. He currently serves as the home improvement editor for AOL’s ShelterPop.com and as a contributor for NBC’s Today Show. He also has his own line of tools and products, Bob Vila Home Security, which is available at The Home Depot. In addition, he continues to work on restoration projects, most recently renovating an historic property in Florida.
What the current host of This Old House is up to
Since leaving This Old House in 2003, Bob Vila has kept himself busy. He’s hosted several shows on the Home & Garden Television (HGTV) network, including The Bob Vila Show and Restore America. He’s also been involved in a number of business ventures, including his own line of power tools.
In recent years, Vila has been focusing on his philanthropic work. He’s the founder of the Bob Vila Disaster Relief Fund, which provides assistance to homeowners affected by natural disasters. He’s also an active supporter of Habitat for Humanity, and he recently launched a campaign to help veterans with home repairs.