HGTV Fans ‘Heartbroken’ Over Hilary Farr’s Sudden Departure

Heavy/Getty HGTV's Hilary Farr

Designer Hilary Farr’s announcement that she’s left her long-running HGTV show, “Love It or List It,” caught fans by surprise on December 1, 2023. Fans have taken to social media to express how sad they are by her departure, but they’re also hopeful that she’ll continue with HGTV in some fashion.

Meanwhile, Farr, 72, gave more insight into her decision in an interview with People. Though the news she won’t return to “Love It or List It” after 19 seasons came out of the blue for most, she said it’s a decision she made nearly a year ago.

Here’s what you need to know:

Fans & Friends Curious About What Comes Next for Hilary Farr

HGTVHilary Farr

Farr’s decision to no longer appear on “Love It or List It” alongside her co-host, realtor David Visentin, was announced via a press release from HGTV. Farr told People she doesn’t know if the network will search for a new co-host, but she’d tune in if it does.

Looking back on the show, Farr told the magazine, “I’ve given it so many years of my life. It’s got me through hard times. It’s got the audiences through hard times. It has evolved into a mainstay of people’s lives and it’s been incredibly gratifying. But now it’s time for me to move on and meet new challenges.”

On social media, fans repeatedly expressed how “sad” they were by the news, sharing how the show has also felt like a steady presence in their lives for so many years.

On a Reddit thread about the announcement, one fan wrote, “I’m heartbroken. 💔 Hilary and David were so fun to watch, and David’s smart ass quips were hysterical! I guess a good thing can’t last forever, but this was one of my favorite shows and I’ll truly miss watching them.”

On Instagram, someone wrote, “I’m so sad ☹️ I love love it or list it, I still watch the old seasons! Will miss seeing you and David, always loved your friendship. ❤️”

Another fan tweeted, “Hilary Farr is leaving Love it or List It please respect my privacy at this extremely personally difficult time”

Meanwhile, some of Farr’s friends and colleagues wished her well on Instagram, including fellow HGTV star Christina Hall, who wrote, “Can’t wait to see what’s next ❤️❤️”

Another friend wrote, “New beginnings are cool …AND a bit scary! Can’t wait to hear!”

Farr replied, “scary and invigorating..see you one day soon to shRe a champagne toast to New Beginnings x”

Hilary Farr Says She Decided to Leave Iconic Show Nearly a Year Ago, But is Excited About Future Plans

Farr told People that she made the decision to leave “Love It or List It” almost a year ago, when she and Visentin had finished filming the most recent season and she realized she was ready for a new challenge.

“I realized that everything that I am as a woman, which is [that I] look for challenges, look for inspiration, look for new ideas, be excited about all the possibilities that are out there, had really needed to bloom and to find their way,” she said. “I told everyone I’m done.”

But HGTV executives didn’t fully believe her, she said. When they asked her to film a 20th season, she said she needed to “rethink and really examine it.”

She said, “Did I want to go back to or not? With all the love in the world, the answer was no. It’s just time.”

Farr, who launched a solo show on HGTV in 2022, “Tough Love with Hilary Farr,” told People she doesn’t know if that series will be renewed for a third season.

“We’ll see what happens there. I’m not at all stepping away,” she said, alluding to other plans she can’t announce yet.

She told People that she has “a few other things in the pipeline” and that she also bought a piece of land in Italy where she intends to build “a tiny house.”

Farr said she’s been touched by what an impact “Love It or List It” has had on fans over the years.

“I have really learned about the extraordinary impact that this show has had out there,” she said. “I mean, I meet people who have gone through terrible experiences and desperate sadness, and they tell me that this show was their salvation. This got them through. It also helped me get through good times and bad times.”