Shraman Mitra
HGTV’s ‘Renovation Wild’ takes the exciting home renovation show genre to Africa, following resort owners Grant and Lynsey Cumings, who take it upon themselves to renovate and update their jungle resort. Even though Grant and Lynsey are joined by their children and other staff members, working in the African heat is pretty tough. On top of it, the judge brings its own set of challenges as the group faces pesky pests, extreme weather conditions, and supply chain issues during the process.
Since ‘Renovation Wild’ is set in the backdrop of the African bush, there are some viewers who wonder if the entire thing is pre-written and recorded in a studio. Furthermore, some fans even question the authenticity of the renovations and are doubtful about the show’s unscripted nature. Well, let’s dive in and find out if ‘Renovation Wild’ is scripted or real, shall we?
Is Renovation Wild Scripted?
HGTV has always presented ‘Renovation Wild’ as an unscripted reality show, and we find no reason to believe otherwise. However, readers should note that, like most reality shows, the production team plays an integral role in pre-planning some stages in order to ensure a smooth filming process. Nevertheless, in order for a show to be completely authentic, it has to do away with pre-written scripts of all kinds. While pre-determined actions cannot be rehearsed and enacted in front of the camera, the production team is expected to stay away from influencing the narrative.
Besides, even the participants are given complete freedom to be themselves in front of the camera, and whatever we see on screen is spontaneous and authentic. ‘Renovation Wild’ ticks off the first box as we can confirm that it is shot on location in the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, Africa. On top of it, the resort owned by Grant and Lynsey Cumings is a real-world property that draws in tourists from around the world.
Readers would also be interested to know that all of the participants who appear on the show, from the owners and their children to the resort manager, Juliet, the project manager, Ngoli, as well as the other staff, are authentic professionals, and aren’t being made to put on an act for the show. In fact, while on the show, Grant Cumings even talks about life in the African wilderness and says, “I was born here in Zambia, our safari lodges are here, and we’re raising our family here, so everything is on the line. And it’s survival of the fittest out there.”
While it is evident that the production team vets every cast member before inviting them to be a part of the show, they rarely involve themselves in the narrative and mostly remain passive onlookers. For example, when the renovation team faces numerous challenges in the form of extreme weather conditions and supply chain issues, it would not take much for the producers to step in and solve the crisis. However, instead of stepping in, they let the renovators deal with the problems as they see fit while cameras document everything from the successes to the failures.
Additionally, we can confirm that most of the renovation is paid for by the owners themselves. They even get to keep the changes after the cameras stop rolling. Moreover, the professionals portrayed on the show possess years of experience and knowledge in their respective fields, which adds to the show’s authenticity. That being said, readers should note that most shows are made for profit, and the network benefits massively from an increase in viewership. Hence, producers have the freedom to make minor edits during post-processing in order to make the show more attractive. However, this has little to no effect on the show’s authenticity, and ‘Renovation Wild’ is as unscripted as a reality show can be.
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