Jonathan Knight on Teaming Up with Brother Jordan on HGTV Spinoff: 'A Lot of Family Shenanigans' (Exclusive)
'Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp' follows Jonathan, his husband Harley, and his fellow NKOTB member Jordan Knight as they renovate a New England campground
Music has always been a family affair for Jonathan Knight, who has been performing with his younger brother Jordan as a member of New Kids on the Block since the late '80s. And now, even more members of the Knight clan are taking center stage as he tackles one of his largest home renovation projects to date.
On his new HGTV spinoff series Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp, Jonathan brings his family along as he buys and attempts to transform an abandoned, 12-acre New Hampshire camp into a vacation destination in just six months.
"I've always wanted to own a place where people could stay, like a bed and breakfast or a boutique hotel," says Jonathan, who spoke with PEOPLE exclusively in May. "I fell in love when I saw it and jumped at the chance to make that dream a reality. We definitely took on a lot with this one, but it was just a great opportunity and I knew I had to do it."
On the four-episode limited series, which premieres on Tuesday, June 18 at 9 p.m., viewers will watch as Jonathan renovates three of the 10 cabins on site and a main house, where he and his husband Harley Rodriguez will stay.
"My family was all involved — my brother, my sisters, my husband, my mom — so there's a lot of family shenanigans," says Jonathan, 55.
In the exclusive trailer, above, Jonathan brings the group to see the serene lakeside campground, which reminds him of their childhood summers spent at his grandparents’ cottage. However, the state of the property (black mold, critters and crumbling walls!) and the ambitious timeline (he and Jordan are preparing for NKOTB's summer concert tour at the same time) make tensions run high.
"It was a lot of work, a lot of stress, a lot of fun and a lot of beauty," says Jonathan. "But the best part of the whole thing is that I got to do it with my family because we do everything together."
Jordan says he has also been enjoying working with his brother in this new way. "I've been on his Farmhouse Fixer show quite often, and I've been learning a lot through it all," Jordan told PEOPLE during an interview in May. "It's really been a fun time for me."
HGTV
The Knight family has home renovation is in its genes, says Jordan. "Our father has always been handy. He was a handyman-carpenter type of guy when we were growing up, and he would always take us on jobs and teach us stuff around the house," he says. "I think it comes natural to us."
According to Jonathan, though, Jordan's DIY skills need some improvement. "I mean, come on. I think he's handy enough to own a house and paint, and stuff like that. I don't think he could change his oil in his truck," jokes Jonathan. "But he's going to see this all, and I'm going to get crap — so, yeah, my brother Jordan is very handy, period."
Jonathan is quick to add, though, that he's looking forward fans seeing another side to Jordan. "He's so good on TV. I know a lot of people think he's quiet and shy but he's not — he's so funny."
"It's funny because before I landed on HGTV, I was talking to the Property Brothers [Drew and Jonathan Scott] and they were really pushing for a show with me and my brother," says Jonathan. "Jordan knows his way around a stage and a microphone, but he definitely does not know his way around a power tool. So I was like, 'I don't think this is going to work, guys.' But he's gained more confidence and experience as we went on, which has been great to see. Everyone is going to love watching him on this show."
Related: Colorado Home Designed by NKOTB’s Jonathan Knight on HGTV’s Rock the Block Sells for $2.85M
The Knights say they would love to continue collaborating on home projects and new DIY shows in the future — "Who knows, maybe Jon and I will do some type of new venture in that realm," teases Jordan — but, for now, they have a packed calendar.
"After we finish filming, I always say, 'I'm not committing to anything in the future. I just need to decompress.' And then in a few months I'm calling HGTV up, like, "Hey, so I have an idea,'" says Jonathan. "We'll see where it all goes. I mean, that's what life is all about — you never know what's around the corner."
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Related: Jonathan Knight Has Been Renovating Homes Since NKOTB First Split in 1994: 'It's Not Just a Hobby'
For the next few months, at least, Jonathan and Jordan have returned to their rockstar roles. The New Kids on the Block — also made up of bandmates Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg and Joey McIntyre — kicked off their 2024 Magic Summer Tour on June 14 and will travel around the country until wrapping up on Aug. 25. in Noblesville, Indiana. In May, the band also released Still Kids, their first full studio album in 11 years.
"It’ll never not blow my mind that here we are, decades later, and we're still doing what we love in front of millions of people," says Jonathan. "That's why calling the album Still Kids is so perfect, because we still have all the same enthusiasm and excitement for it all, just like when we were kids."
Adds Jordan: "Our bodies get a little older every year, but I think as long as we keep that spirit of being young and open and excited about life, we can still feel like kids even when we're 95 years old."
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'Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp' premies Tuesday, June 18, at 9 p.m. on HGTV
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