Photo by J. Miles Cary // Buy this photo
Mandy and Daniel Watson and their children head past the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" television crew to their new home on Wednesday. The Watson family spent most of the past week on vacation in Florida while the Emmy-winning show — along with more than 4,000 local volunteers — demolished the family's dilapidated farmhouse on Robinson Road and replaced it from the ground-up. (J. MILES CARY/NEWS SENTINEL )
11:57: - Reveal of the new Extreme home for the Watson family is done. Spectators line up to get on shuttle bus. Some buy commemorative show T-shirts.
11:47: - Watson family walking about in their new Extreme home.
11:32: - Watson family about to enter new Extreme home for the first time.
11:18: - Extreme bus rolls back. Watson family sees new home.
11:08 - TV cameras surround Watson limo as it arrives.
11:01 - The families of Restoration House of East Tennessee, the nonprofit started by the Watsons, have gotten off the Extreme bus.
10:52 - The families of Restoration House of East Tennessee, the nonprofit started by the Watsons, have been loaded onto the Extreme bus. It's cold outside.
10:28 - Rehearsal for arrival of the Watson family. An empty limo rolls up, and Ty Pennington opens the back door. All part of making TV magic.
10:25 - Ty Pennington has arrived. Reveal must be getting close.
10:20 - Actress Jenny McCarthy has arrived on the set, but the Watson family is not there yet.
9:45 - Extreme producers are getting crowd ready, asking them to cheer, not look into the camera and not take photos of the TV crew taking photos.
9:40 - The crowd estimate is 800-1,000.
9:38 - Crews added more gravel in front of the home because the Extreme bus was a bit heavy for the muddy road.
9:30 - The Extreme bus has been backed into place.
9:15 a.m. - Extreme camera is unloaded from flatbed truck as reveal time winds down.
9:10 a.m. - Volunteers wash a Ford Explorer that was donated to the Watsons by the 14 Knoxville Ford dealers. Jerry Duncan Ford, Lincoln Inc. supplied the vehicle.
8:50 a.m. - Volunteers are selling can holders for $5 and Extreme pictures for $20 to help raise money for the Watson family.
8:40 a.m. - Crews are placing plywood and metal plates over the mulch path in front of the Watson house so the Extreme bus could move there.
Others placing sod in front of the house.
8:30 a.m. - ABC security just had to move volunteers and media viewing area back 4 feet from where they were standing in order to get the Extreme bus and the limo carrying the Watson family in. 90 minutes until reveal
8:25 a.m. - Crews have put down plywood to make a walk to the Watson house over the mud.
7:55 a.m. - Extreme TV crews go into house as volunteers carry a swing set to the playground area.
Yes, that's mud in front of the house and solar panels at the side.
7:32 a.m. - The final push to complete projects is under way at the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" site in West Knoxville.
The new home is scheduled to be unveiled to the Watson family at 10 a.m.
This morning, workers are mulching and pressure washing a driveway in 33 degree weather outside, and cleaning the wooden floors inside. A bright yellow wreath decorates one porch window of the home. The generators powering tall lights are loud and humming.
Already, the crowd of spectators is about 200. They are standing behind barricades in front if the house, some with signs that say "move that bus!"
Daniel Watson, his wife, Mandy, and their three young children have spent most of the past week on vacation in Florida while the Emmy-winning show - along with more than 4,000 local volunteers - demolished the family's dilapidated farmhouse on Robinson Road and replaced it from the ground-up.
An adjoining duplex also was built for Restoration House of East Tennessee, a nonprofit founded and run by the Watsons to serve single mothers and their children.
More details as they develop online and in Thursday's News Sentinel.
© 2012, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 5
Momof3boys writes:
I doubt ABC appreciates the pictures of the house you have posted this morning. Kind of ruins the reveal, doesn't it?
lspuhler (staff) writes:
The media has been given access to share and report on the home. The local ABC affiliate is also sharing similar photos.
beth#257262 writes:
I appreciate the pictures! You are sharing more than WATE.
GoodScout writes:
Momof3boys, you think they're going to keep the outside of the house covered for 10 months? That said, the family will be prevented from letting media see the inside until the show airs in November, if the agreement with ABC is the same as with previous families.
MayCauseIrritation2 writes:
How long before this family has to get a mortgage on the home to pay the utilities and increased taxes? How long before they lose this big, new house because they can't afford to pay for it?
How long before the producers finally realize they just needed some repairs and not a big, new house, and there are so many of their "Winners" who have lost the fancy new homes.
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