Celebrity IOU: Comedian Joel McHale joins the Scott brothers for a heartfelt renovation

HGTV's Celebrity IOU season 10 returned with a new episode on July 16, 2025. Titled Can Joel McHale Get Emotional? it showed comedian and actor Joel McHale joining forces with the Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan Scott, to pay homage to his beloved "LA Grandma," Blanca, who had been his housekeeper for 21 years.

The official synopsis of the Celebrity IOU episode reads:

"Joel expresses his deep gratitude to his family's beloved "LA Grandma." Ever the comedian, he brings his signature humor and reveals a softer side (including a few tears), to give back to the woman who has meant so much to his family."

The segment saw Joel bring his comedic side to the forefront as he was shown throwing the brothers for a loop by purposely breaking things or coming in their way. Together, they renovated the home for "LA Grandma," hoping to give back for all she had done throughout the years for Joel and his family.

Joel and his wife, Sarah, hired Blanca as their housekeeper when Sarah was pregnant with their first son. While Joel equated Blanca with his grandmother, he referred to Blanca's daughter, Nathalie, as his own, saying that he attended her plays and graduation. Since Joel had such a connection with Blanca and her family, he wanted to gift her a long-awaited renovation.

---

What changes did the Scott brothers make to Blanca's home in episode 2 of Celebrity IOU?

Blanca's home appeared neat and well-kept to the Celebrity IOU experts. Joel revealed that she preferred keeping her house cozy, but due to her back problems in the past few years, she had not been able to keep up with the maintenance. Moreover, the amenities and the overall layout of the space no longer aligned with her needs.

Consequently, Joel sought the help of Drew and Jonathan to turn Blanca's home around. During the episode, it was revealed that Blanca had undergone multiple back surgeries. Additionally, she lived alone, which made moving around the house more difficult than it used to be. The bathroom and bedroom, in particular, needed renovation to cater to her needs.

With a set plan in mind, the celebrity renovators started working around Blanca's home. They first made some necessary changes to the hallway, giving it a more polished and bright look. They added some new lighting, a few photographs, and a new rug to make the dim hallway look organized and stylish.

As for the bathroom, the initial setup featured a random window and the absence of counter space and storage. Moreover, it was not designed to align with Blanca's medical requirements. Consequently, the Celebrity IOU experts took down the bathroom wall, expanded the space, and reimagined the layout. The new bathroom provided more storage space and looked more cohesive.

Blanca's bathroom now had room in the vanity as well as above the toilet for toiletries, bathroom essentials, makeup, hair products, and more.

The bedroom was an essential part of the renovation, which Joel wanted the Scott brothers to focus on. Keeping Blanca's back problems in mind, Jonathan suggested getting her "an adjustable bed base" to ease the pain. He added that it would help "a lot with your back and neck."

After the base was installed, Joel tested it out, saying:

"This is very exciting. This is nice. I would never leave this room because I would just be playing with this bed."

With a few more touches, the Celebrity IOU team turned the bedroom into a space that not only resonated with Blanca's taste but also aligned with her needs. Drew and Jonathan upgraded the furniture, bedding, and decor to make it look like an "luxurious hotel-style bedroom oasis."

For added function and more storage, they created built-ins in the bedroom. Additionally, they fit and organized all her must-haves and provided a combined wardrobe and drawers with basket space for scarves, hats, and other accessories.

---

Celebrity IOU airs every Wednesday at 8 pm ET only on HGTV.

Edited by Raina Saha