The Shocking Truth: 5 Reasons Why Hilary Farr Left 'Love It Or List It' And Her New Life In 2025
The question has lingered for years: Will they love it or list it? But the biggest question for fans in late 2023 became, "What happened to Hilary?" After nearly two decades of witty banter and spectacular home renovations alongside her co-host, real estate expert David Visentin, design icon Hilary Farr officially announced her departure from the HGTV hit series, Love It or List It. The news sent shockwaves through the home renovation world, leaving millions of viewers curious about the real reasons behind her exit and what her career looks like today, in 2025.
The truth is, Hilary Farr's decision was not sudden but a long-considered move driven by a combination of personal health priorities, a desire for new creative challenges, and the demanding schedule of a long-running television production. Her exit closed a remarkable chapter of 19 seasons and over 250 episodes, but it simultaneously opened a new, exciting one that is keeping her firmly in the spotlight and on the HGTV network. This is the definitive, up-to-date look at what happened to Hilary Farr and what she is doing now.
Hilary Farr: Complete Biography and Professional Profile
To truly understand the design powerhouse that is Hilary Farr, one must look beyond the friendly rivalry with David Visentin and appreciate her extensive background as a designer, businesswoman, and even a former actress. Her career spans decades and continents, establishing her as a formidable force in the design industry long before Love It or List It premiered in 2008.
- Full Name: Hilary Elizabeth Labow (later Farr)
- Date of Birth: August 31, 1951
- Place of Birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Nationality: British-Canadian
- Education: Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)
- Ex-Husband: Gordon Farr (TV Producer, married 1982; divorced 2008)
- Children: One son, Joshua Farr (and three grandchildren)
- Early Career: Farr began her career in London, England, and Los Angeles. She was an actress in the 1970s, making a small, uncredited appearance in the cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She worked on film and television sets, which introduced her to the world of interior design and renovation.
- Design Career: She founded Hilary Farr Design, a highly successful interior design and renovation company, before joining HGTV.
- HGTV Tenure: Co-host and designer on Love It or List It (2008–2023); Host of Tough Love With Hilary Farr (2021–Present).
The Real Reasons Behind Hilary Farr’s Emotional Departure from Love It or List It
The announcement that Hilary Farr was leaving Love It or List It in late 2023 after 19 seasons was a major shock to the millions of fans who tuned in to watch her creative renovations and her playful rivalry with David Visentin. While the official statement cited a desire for "new challenges," the full picture is more nuanced, involving her demanding schedule and a serious personal health battle.
1. Prioritizing Health and the Breast Cancer Battle
One of the most significant and personal reasons for her departure was her ongoing health journey. Hilary Farr revealed in 2021 that she had been battling breast cancer since 2014. The designer underwent three lumpectomies and radiation therapy, and she has been in remission since 2022. The demanding, non-stop production schedule of a hit reality television show, which required extensive travel and long hours, was no longer sustainable as she committed to prioritizing her well-being. Her decision was a powerful statement about the importance of self-care and stepping back from a high-pressure environment.
2. The Need for New Creative and Professional Challenges
After nearly two decades of the "love it or list it" format, Farr felt a strong pull toward new creative endeavors. The format of the show—renovate the home to convince the homeowners to "love it"—is a consistent one, and the designer expressed a desire to tackle projects with a different scope. She wanted to focus on more complex, personalized design challenges that went beyond the show's established structure. This desire for professional evolution was a key driver in her decision to leave the comfort of the hit series.
3. The Demanding and Exhausting Production Schedule
Filming a show like Love It or List It is an intense commitment. It involves coordinating multiple home renovations simultaneously, managing contractors, dealing with unexpected issues, and maintaining the on-screen chemistry that made the show a success. Hilary Farr noted that the show was "taking up too much of my life" and that the constant travel required for filming was exhausting. The sheer volume of work and the desire to have more personal time—especially with her son, Joshua Farr, and her grandchildren—made stepping away a necessary choice.
Hilary Farr’s New Chapter: Tough Love and Life in 2025
Fans who worried that Hilary Farr was leaving television entirely can breathe a sigh of relief. While she stepped away from her long-time role, she did not step away from HGTV. Her career has evolved, not ended, and she remains a highly active and influential figure in the design world in 2025.
The Success of 'Tough Love With Hilary Farr'
Hilary Farr’s new passion project is her solo series, Tough Love With Hilary Farr, which premiered in 2021. This show allows her to dive deeper into the emotional and psychological aspects of home design. In Tough Love, she is challenged by families whose dysfunctional houses are straining their relationships. The show’s premise gives Farr the creative freedom to not only redesign the physical space but also to offer her famously candid, "tough love" advice to the homeowners to help them reconnect with their homes and each other.
The show is a perfect vehicle for her unique blend of empathy and no-nonsense design philosophy. It allows her to focus on full-scale, life-changing transformations rather than the back-and-forth rivalry of her previous series. This new role is a key part of her current professional identity and a major reason why she is still a prominent HGTV star.
Life After David Visentin and the Future of 'Love It or List It'
The playful, bickering chemistry between Hilary Farr and David Visentin was the undeniable heart of Love It or List It. While their professional partnership on the show has ended, their personal friendship remains strong. Visentin publicly supported Farr's decision, acknowledging her incredible run on the series.
As for the original show, Love It or List It is continuing. HGTV officially confirmed in early 2025 that the series would return for a new season with a new designer joining David Visentin. This new era of the show will undoubtedly feel different, but it proves the enduring popularity of the "love it or list it" concept, even without its iconic designer.
Continuing Design and Entrepreneurial Ventures
Beyond her television work, Hilary Farr remains committed to her core business: interior design. She continues to run Hilary Farr Design, taking on private clients and focusing on bespoke, high-end projects. Her brand also extends into furniture and home goods, leveraging her decades of experience and her status as a trusted design authority. By stepping away from the intense schedule of Love It or List It, Farr has created space to focus on her entrepreneurial ventures, personal life, and advocacy for breast cancer awareness, ensuring her influence on the design world remains as strong as ever in 2025.
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