The newest home improvement show to hit the airwaves has a strong local flavour.
Mission’s Nicole and Jake Sharma are the only contestants from B.C. taking part in the new show, Blood Sweat and Tools, which features five Canadian couples, all known for being inept at home improvements, battling it out for a $50,000 cash prize.
The nine-episode program starts tonight (April 13) on the Discovery Channel.
Nicole is responsible for getting the local couple on the show. She saw an ad on the computer looking for inept handymen and she immediately thought of Jake.
“Jake still has issues with finishing projects and he thinks he’s like the master of all things and he’s not,” said Nicole.
“I just wanted to have the world as my witness.”
Jake, in his own defence, said he’s a better handyman than Nicole gives him credit for.
“My problem has always been to undertake too many projects, which tends to overtake me.”
As part of the program, the couple had to work on several projects together. One of the first was to replace an old toilet. One team member had to remove it, while the other put in a new one.
“There was no frickin’ way that I was touching a gross, old toilet,” said Nicole. “So Jake had to do that part. Then I had to install the new one and had to have him barking down my shoulder the whole time. So that will be an interesting first look at us for the world to see.”
She called Jake overpowering and a control freak.
“He thinks if he has his tool belt on and his gloves, it’s like a superhero when they have the cape on.”
If Jake is the hero, Nicole admits that she’s the villain.
“My parents are not going to be happy about my potty mouth,” she said.
But Jake said Nicole has some hidden talents.
‘Well she’s very handy at nagging me constantly so that’s one of her strong suits.”
While the couple agree to disagree about each others handyman talents, they did enjoy being on the show.
“It was fun. It was challenging, but it was fun,” said Jake. “I learned a lot of things that I thought I already knew.”
Nicole said they got used to the cameras after a short period of time.
“When you’re in the heat of the moment doing the project and you’re right in there and it’s raining, you don’t remember that the cameras are there.”
Known as the green team, Nicole and Jake are asking all BCers to watch and at the end of the series, vote for them to win the grand prize.
About the show:
Challenging Nicole and Jake on the show are Tyler and Danielle (Woodstock, Ont.) Fabian and Luayn (Teeterville, Ont.) Steve and Richelene (Winnipeg) and Jesse and Holly (Penetanguishene, Ont.).
Set in the cottage country of Northern Ontario, Blood Sweat and Tools features five duos of hapless handypersons performing all manner of home renovation challenges, from installing toilets and outdoor showers, to building gazebos and repairing roofs.
The teams work to impress three experts – Rob Koci of Canadian Contractor magazine, fourth-generation tradesman and carpenter, Helder Brum, and power tool expert Hillary Manion – with successful Do It Yourself (DIY) home repair projects in a bid to be named “Most Improved.”
Following eight episodes of hammering it out to stay alive in the competition, the final decision is left up to Canada with viewers determining the winning couple live during the season finale episode.
Votes will be cast throughout the finale broadcast via text and social media. Complete voting details will soon be announced.