Advertisement The Beginning of Every Episode of "Fixer Upper" Is Probably Fake Say it ain't so, Chip and Jo! Share Shares Copy Link Copy

For many HGTV fans, Fixer Upper is the holy grail of home improvement shows — but according to one former participant, not everything is what it seems in Waco, Texas. As even the most casual viewer knows, every episode of Fixer Upper begins with hosts and real-life married couple Chip and Joanna Gaines showing their new clients three prospective homes. The family then decides which home to buy, and Chip and Jo get to work turning the place into a work of art. But in several interviews (with Fox Newsand with us), season three participant David Ridley revealed that the "home-picking" process at the beginning of the show is totally fake. As he explained, he’d already purchased his new home before he’d even applied to be on Fixer Upper — because it was a requirement for him to get on the show in the first place. "You have to be under contract to be on the show. They show you other homes but you already have one," he said. "After they select you, they send your house to Chip and Joanna and their design team." As Fox News points out, the show’s application seems to confirm Ridley’s claims. While never explicitly stating the applicant should have already purchased a new home, it does ask detailed questions that seem to imply it’s desired, including "What is the purchase price of your new home?," "Are you aware of any construction/structural issues?," and "Are there any problems or improvements needed with the home’s backyard?" The application also asks how far the applicant is in the escrow process, and to upload photos of the home they’ve purchased. While it’s a huge bummer to learn that not everything is what it seems in the Fixer Upper universe, in the scheme of things, the revelation doesn’t really change the quality of the show. After all, everyone knows the best part of the show is watching Chip and Jo do what they do best — being ridiculously adorable while making houses into dream homes. The new season of Fixer Upper premieres Tuesday, November 29 on HGTV.