Ty Pennington From 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' Gets Engaged At Age 56

Sep 21, 2021

Ty Pennington is an American television personality, host, carpenter and designer. He is best known for his appearance as the host and carpenter on the show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." He first rose to fame as a carpenter on the home-improvement television program "Trading Spaces."  

Pennington's most successful endeavor, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," was a reality TV show that featured several designers, architects and carpenters working together to completely renovate a house in just seven days. The show created homes for families in need and featured over-the-top designs, which it was at times criticized for as some of the homeowners were forced to move due to high utility costs.

Nevertheless, Pennington and the rest of the crew from "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" are remembered for their great work for families who deserved it. The show ended in 2012 and since then Pennington has been involved with numerous other projects. He is currently working on two television series, "Ty Breaker" and "Battle on the Beach" which both air on HGTV.

Pennington was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1964. He was raised by a single mother, Yvonne Burton until she was remarried to a man with the surname Pennington. Ty had a difficult childhood, often switching schools due to behavioral issues that stemmed from his undiagnosed ADHD. Early in life, Pennington found solace in woodworking and carpentry. He went on to graduate from the Art Institute of Atlanta with a degree in Graphic Design.

On July 28, 2021, Pennington announced that he was engaged to social media manager Kellee Merrell. Pennington is 56 and Merrell is 33. The happy couple has known each other since 2009 and began dating in 2020. Keep reading to learn more about Pennington and his engagement.

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Pennington explained what it was like growing up with ADHD and the trouble he had in school. "I didn't care so much about the grades, I just knew I was frustrated and then when I went to see the doctor, I wasn't stoked about being told I had a mental disorder and needed medication. As a teenager, you don't want to hear that," Pennington said. 

He added, "But once I started, the first thing I noticed was that I started reading the soccer game and noticed where players were and saw it in a different way. Suddenly, I'm where I need to be and you start scoring goals and it all comes together. It's just because the lens that was dirty and unfocused finally got focused." 

Once he was able to focus, Pennington went on to accomplish great things, most notably his involvement in the series "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." He shared that he was inspired by the Make a Wish Foundation and wanted to help make a family's dream come true. 

"I wanted to make a wish of theirs come true. So we got to playing around with different ideas. The company came up with building a house in seven days with six or seven designers, and then chaos ensued," Ty recalled.

He continued: "But that's what's great about the show: It kind of creates itself. While the original show they'd planned was more about the chaos of building a house, it evolved into what it is now, which is the type of show where everybody gets involved. It really is phenomenal. It's the greatest job I think I'll ever have."

At age 56, Pennington has never been married, but in late July 2021, he announced his engagement to Merrell on Instagram. Under a photo of their hands together, showing off the engagement ring, Pennington wrote: "It's the 'yes' for me…" 

Many of Pennington's friends and former coworkers commented on the photo to congratulate the couple. "Help! I Wrecked My House" star, Jasmine Roth, wrote: "Awwww congrats!!!" And Taniya Nayak, who is currently Pennington's co-star on "Battle on the Beach," commented, "Wooohoooo! Smart move!! She's a keeper! Congrats you two lovebirds!"

In a statement to People, Pennington shared: "I have admired Kellee from afar for years. She's a beautiful person inside and out. Luckily our paths finally crossed at the right time. It's one of those things where you just feel happy being around a person. I never thought I would get married, but she changed that. Glad I waited for the one."

People reports that Pennington and Merrell first met in 2009 and parted ways in 2010, then reconnected right before the pandemic in early 2020 and decided to quarantine together. The happy couple bought a home together in mid-2021 in Savannah, Georgia, and are currently renovating it to make it into their dream home. 

The pair are already looking forward to their future wedding. Pennington shared in another Instagram post, "Just wanted to say thank you for all the love and nice messages about our engagement. We are feeling the love! Kellee hates having her picture taken so we're practicing our best "blue steel" for the wedding…. clearly hers needs some work (she hasn't taken my classes)"

Are you a fan of Ty Pennington? What do you think of his recent engagement? Let us know your opinion and be sure to send this on to your loved ones.