A pair of familiar North Coast faces will get a national audience on an upcoming episode of “House Hunters.”

News Channel 3 news director Betsy Lambert and her husband, St. Bernard’s High baseball coach Shane Totten, will appear on the home buyer reality show on Thursday at 10 p.m.

Real estate broker Dean Kessler set the wheels in motion after being contacted in January by casting producers from HGTV, the cable network which hosts “House Hunters.” Kessler was excited to participate in the show, and suspected that HGTV had contacted him because he has been promoting Eureka on a national level recently, appearing on CNN Money and USA Today.

”We’d love to have the exposure,” Kessler said. “Not only for us but for the community.”

The role for Kessler’s real estate team?

”Selecting a buyer couple who would be good in front of the camera,” Kessler said.

Lambert — who anchors a local news program — agreed to appear on the show after receiving a text message from real estate agent Kristi Machado that read “would you ever be on ‘House Hunters’?”

”I completely thought she was joking,” Lambert said.

Lambert and Totten were hesitant at first, but eventually agreed to let crews film their experience.

”With both our jobs, we like to have some privacy,” Lambert said.

In two visits from Van Nuys, the “House Hunters” crew captured images of Eureka and filmed the couple deliberating on a choice between three homes.

Machado said she never expected to appear on “House Hunters,” a show she said she watches regularly. She said she enjoyed being on camera, even if it was a little out of her comfort zone.

”Honestly it was an opportunity that arose, and I went for it,” Machado said. “It was kind of surreal.”

Lambert said that despite her TV experience, the choice to feature them was more about the timing of their purchase and her husband’s unusual requirement.

The episode’s hook revolved around Totten’s desire for a backyard at least 60 feet, 6 inches long — the distance between the pitcher’s mound and home plate on a baseball diamond.

Despite three long days of filming, Lambert said it was a pleasant process. She said the cameras didn’t add too much pressure to their decision.

She said they made the right choice, which will air on HGTV on Thursday at 10 p.m.

”We are happy and settled,” Lambert said.

Grant Scott-Goforth can be reached at 441-0514 or gscott-goforth@times-standard.com.