Olympic champion Nathan Chen gives back to Utah community in celebrity renovation show
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A celebrity renovation show filming in Salt Lake City features 2022 Olympic gold medalist, and Utah native, Nathan Chen — and you can be a part of it.
KUTV 2News got a behind the scenes look at season two of “Secret Celebrity Renovation.” The show is filming at Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation's Salt Lake City Sports Complex for an episode featuring the Olympic superstar as he gives back to his Utah community.
"I'm definitely not a construction man myself, so they're teaching me along the way,” the three-time world figure skating champion said.
The CBS show gives celebrities in sports, music and entertainment the chance to give a surprise home renovation to a meaningful person who helped guide them to success.
Chen couldn’t choose just one person, so he chose to renovate the sports complex, saying the rink there was like a second home to him. It was where he spent much of his time training growing up.
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"The more people that come through this facility, the more happy it makes me," he said. "Just because I spent so much time here and I know how much joy figure skating can bring to people.”
Chen is part of a team renovating multiple parts of the rink over just a few weeks. The celebrity contractor on the job is Rob Mariano, who may be best known as “Boston Rob” from the show “Survivor.”
“I’ve got to tell you, it's been super fulfilling to be able to give back,” Mariano said.
Mariano was among the celebrities featured in the show’s first season, when he went home to Boston to renovate the kitchen and backyard deck of his parents’ home. He said his parents made great sacrifices to help him pursue his dreams of winning “Survivor.”
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Mariano said they work hard on this show, but it is very different from “Survivor.”
"Survivor’s a little bit difficult," he said. "You don't get to eat, you're not sleeping, everybody's trying to vote you off. Luckily, we don't have that dynamic on this show."
The show's team, along with local help from Stallings Construction, is bringing big changes to the sports complex. Chen said a main focus of their design was comfort.
"We're spending so much time here at the rink. Something that feels homey and is bright,” he said.
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The show’s designer, Sabrina Soto, said the team cannot wait to reveal all of their hard work to the community.
"Oh my gosh, if anybody can come to see the reveal, it's going to be so fun to be able to see the space transform,” said Soto, who is known in part for her work on shows like “Design Star” and “Trading Spaces.”
The show's host, Nischelle Turner, said "Secret Celebrity Renovation" is filled with love, giving, and paying it forward.
"I hear so much from viewers how this show is a show, especially in this time and space, that is needed. A show that the whole family can sit down and watch and gather, and everybody feels good when it's done,” said Turner, who is also a host on “Entertainment Tonight.”
MORE: Nathan Chen's former coach recalls early training at Salt Lake Sports Complex
They are unveiling the renovation at a big reveal event Tuesday. The event is at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex at 3 p.m., and the reveal will be included on the show. The public can tour the renovations, as well as meet Chen and even hit the ice with the “Secret Celebrity Renovation” team.
Season two of “Secret Celebrity Renovation'' premieres Friday, July 22 on CBS at 7 p.m. The series will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
The season will feature celebrities including legendary NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal and Grammy-nominated singer Nicole Scherzinger. As well as actor Utkarsh Ambudkar, Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford, NBA All-Star Devin Booker, Grammy Award winner and reality TV personality Kandi Burruss, Super Bowl LVI Champion Aaron Donald, actor Billy Gardell, and award-winning singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson.
