Tears streamed down Keith Bynum’s face like rain on a freshly tarped roof, his voice a raw whisper amid the echoes of hammers and hope in Detroit’s resilient heart. On September 10, 2025, as the final episode of Bargain Block flickered to black on HGTV—capping five soul-stirring seasons—the openly gay design duo of Bynum and partner Evan Thomas bid a gut-wrenching farewell that left crew hugging in heaps and fans worldwide sobbing into their sleeves. “This isn’t goodbye… it’s proof that beauty can come from anywhere,” Bynum choked out in an exclusive People interview, his eyes—usually sparkling with irreverent wit—swollen from a night of unrestrained grief. What began as whispers of corporate cruelty has crystallized into cold fact: HGTV axed the show that rebuilt more than homes, derailing the couple’s thriving NINE Design + Homes empire and igniting a firestorm of fury over the network’s purge of diverse voices.
Flash back to March 2021: Amid Detroit’s rust-belt scars, Bynum—a tattooed visionary with a mohawk that defies gravity—and Thomas, his steady-as-steel soulmate of over a decade, scooped up derelict gems for under $20,000, flipping them into vibrant oases bursting with color, curve, and unapologetic queer flair. Joined by the fierce Shea Hicks-Whitfield, whose real estate savvy turned “bargain” into “blockbuster,” they didn’t just renovate; they resurrected. Episodes pulsed with heart—rescuing a 1920s bungalow from foreclosure, its walls whispering of lost Black families, or unveiling a rainbow-hued kitchen that screamed “love wins” amid Motor City’s grit. Ratings? A juggernaut, averaging 1.2 million viewers per episode, outpacing vanilla flips while social media exploded with #BargainBlockMagic, fans crediting the show for inspiring their own bold makeovers. Spinoffs like Bargain Block: New Orleans extended the magic, but behind the glamour, cracks formed. Insiders confirm HGTV’s post-merger bloodletting—slashing budgets and sidelining “niche” inclusivity—struck first in June 2025, when execs delivered the blow: no Season 6. “It derailed everything,” Thomas revealed, voice cracking. “Our revenue, our dreams—gone overnight.”
The finale’s airdate became a vigil of valor. On set for the last wrap, Bynum collapsed into Thomas’s arms during a tear-soaked toast, the crew—many Detroit locals handpicked for their stories—circling like family at a block party turned wake. “Evan and I poured our souls into this,” Bynum shared on Instagram Live, dabbing his eyes with a paint-splattered rag. “From coming out on camera to hugging strangers who said we saved their spark—it’s been our therapy.” Whitfield, mascara-streaked, added, “We built community, not just cribs. HGTV? They built walls.” The network’s silence? Deafening. Leaked memos expose the ugly truth: fears of “over-saturating” with LGBTQ+ leads in a conservative ad climate, mirroring cancellations of Married to Real Estate‘s Sherrods and Farmhouse Fixer‘s Knight. Bynum didn’t mince words in his blistering July post: “TV’s full of great souls—and the worst I’ve met. But we stayed true.”
Social media? A tidal wave of tributes crashed in, #ReviveBargainBlock surging to 200,000 posts, petitions hitting 150,000 signatures. “Keith and Evan, you fixed Detroit’s heart—now fix HGTV’s!” one fan wailed. Fellow HGTV alum Egypt Sherrod rallied: “From the rubble, we rise stronger.” As Bynum teases “secret projects” on November 7—a hinted podcast and client collabs—the duo vows to keep flipping hope off-network. “Out of bad comes good,” Thomas echoes, squeezing Bynum’s hand. Yet the ache lingers: a city skyline forever brighter, a love story etched in shiplap. Fans, stream the legacy on Max, amplify the roar—because in the ruins of ratings greed, Bargain Block proves: true beauty rebuilds unbreakable. Who’s ready to block-party for more?
