Ben and Erin Napier Are Back in HGTV's 'Home Town' Season Five

Home Town, one of HGTV's most beloved and popular shows, returns with a season premiere on January 3. That premiere kicks off a whole new season of hour-long episodes, each showcasing Erin and Ben Napier's distinctive and innovative renovations of vintage and historic homes in the small town of Laurel, Mississippi.

But that's just part of the good news. In addition to the launch of an all-new season on HGTV, Home Town will be one of the first shows featured on the brand new streaming platform from HGTV's parent company, Discovery Inc. It's all part of an exciting new streaming service — discovery+. (Find out more about the new streaming service here.)

What's more, a new short-form companion series, Home Town: Ben's Workshop, is launching in conjunction with the new season — and will be one of the distinctive program offerings available exclusively on discovery+.

Home Town — A Whole New Season

The Home Town series has been one of HGTV's greatest recent success stories, with viewership last season exceeding 30 million. As in years past, the new season — which premieres Sunday, Jan. 3, at 8 p.m. ET/PT — follows the Laurel couple as they overhaul outdated homes with customized renovations powered by Erin's tasteful and creative design aesthetic combined with Ben's building expertise and his unique custom woodworking creations.

In the season premiere Ben and Erin help newly married friends find and customize their first home in the wake of a tragic personal loss. They assist the new blended family in creating a welcoming and vibrant home as they begin their journey together. With a dramatic dining room featuring a hand-crafted wood table and a living room highlighted by a unique family-tree painting, Ben and Erin add personal touches that weave the young family’s story into the details of their new space.

Other memorable projects viewers can look forward to in the season include a cabin for a Grammy-nominated music producer and guitarist from Nashville, a first-home reno for Ben’s brother, Jesse, and, for Louisiana family buying in Laurel, an outdoor kitchen complete with a handmade crawfish table.

Consistently, and throughout the series, the Napiers' trademark approach to renovation is a respect for and attention to the histories of the homes they restore, the life stories of past and new owners, the vintage architectural and stylistic details and the context of the home within the community.

"Every house in Laurel has a unique history," said Erin. "We love to take those homes, learn their story and bring them back to life."

"It’s so important to us to highlight the history and restore the beauty of these homes, while also helping our town progress into the future,"added Ben.

A New and Crafty Spinoff —
Home Town: Ben's Workshop

Devoted fans of Home Town have come to have a love and fascination with Ben's custom woodworking pieces — at least one of which is typically featured in each episode. From a custom banquette built for a teacher and constructed of reclaimed wood from the local school where she taught, to hand-built kitchen islands using salvaged wood to a hand-built guitar for a music aficionado, Ben's custom creations, like the renovations themselves, often incorporate materials sourced from the original home or community — and incorporate pieces of the life story of the home or its new owner.

For those eager for a more focused look at master woodworker Ben Napier in his element, a new and original limited series, Home Town: Ben’s Workshop — available only on discovery+ — will launch Monday, Jan. 4.

"I grew up watching master woodworker Norm Abram on TV and it's been a dream of mine to make a show like that, focusing on woodworking and craftsmanship,” said Ben. “Social media followers told me they wanted this show too, so it's been a lot of fun bringing guests into my shop to swap stories and share the trade with them, all for Home Town fans to hopefully enjoy."

In the four-episode series, Ben shares his expertise in craftsmanship and carpentry with celebrity guests including, astronaut Scott Kelly, tennis legend Martina Navratilova, comedian Loni Love and multi-platinum country star Chris Lane. Ben’s visitors are in for a fun Southern experience — building iconic wood projects and making surprise visits to donate them to the community or a neighbor.

Fans are invited to stay connected with Ben, Erin and Home Town at HGTV.com/HomeTown. Fans also can follow @HGTV on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #HGTVHomeTown for additional show content and updates and can follow Ben (@scotsman.co) and Erin (@erinapier) on Instagram. The new episodes of Home Town will be available the same day as the linear premieres on HGTV GO — Sundays beginning Jan. 3.