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How Kevin Became Host | Ask This Old House

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In this video, Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor explains how he landed one of the most important jobs on the staff—without even trying.

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Kevin O’Connor explains how he became the host of ASK and This Old House. With a bright future in finance, Kevin and his wife sent in a letter to This Old House about their home at the same time Ask This Old House was starting. A few weeks after the crew performed a house call at Kevin’s home, he received the job offer from the production crew, and the rest is history.
Host Kevin O’Connor never dreamed of hosting Ask This Old House, but a string of good luck seemed to drop the job into his lap.

Kevin was always a fan of This Old House and enjoyed working with his hands. When he and his wife bought their first home, they purposely looked for a fixer-upper. After handling some of the projects themselves, the O’Connors sent a letter to the This Old House team.

Unknown to him, a new show was already in the works: Ask This Old House. After receiving his letter, the crew arrived at Kevin’s house for a house call. The crew helped Kevin handle some projects around his home, and his personality sparked an interest. About a month later, Kevin received a phone call from the production team asking if he would be interested in hosting the show, and he knew he couldn’t turn it down.

While he was excited to take the job, Kevin didn’t think it would last long. As he explained his leaving to his then-boss in the finance industry, Kevin asked him to keep a spot open, as he thought he’d be back in the finance world in around 12 months. That was almost 20 years ago.

Kevin got his start by working with the crew of experts and tradespeople. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey had Kevin dig ditches. General contractor Tom Silva put Kevin to work cutting wood. He built his skillset with on-the-job training, but his excitement for new projects and to learn never needed bolstering.

Kevin’s favorite part of his job is when he gets to work side-by-side with the crew. He finds satisfaction in working with his hands and appreciates the opportunity to shift from the host to the crew. He tries to hand his love and satisfaction down to his kids with projects around their home, hoping that it might stick with them. His other hope? That his kids don’t work in television.

Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects around the house? Join This Old House Insider to stream over 1,000 episodes commercial-free: https://bit.ly/2GPiYbH

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About Ask This Old House TV:
From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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How Kevin Became Host | Ask This Old House
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Comments ( 30 )

  1. Have a new-found respect for this guy. I grew up with the OG’s on the TV as my Dad would watch but being only 34, I’ve seen Kevin online and was always curious how he landed the role. Props to him and keep it up if you’re reading this Kevin!

  2. I can only say I think they did a great job in hiring Kevin. He's one of us, a regular guy! Always happy to see him and I hope he'll be there for a long time. Take care Kevin.

  3. Kevin is the Luckiest Guy in this world!!!!

  4. When I first saw Kevin on Ask This Old House, I thought he was some rich guys kid who didn't belong on the show. Now I can't imagine the show without him. He adds a ton to the feel of the show. Good job Kevin.

  5. This is a dream come true story for me. If I could have perfect job, this would be pretty close to it. I am very happy for you Kevin, and fwiw, your wife is a princess for allowing you to pursue this once in a lifetime opportunity…..

  6. Definitely a dream job for sure. That is awesome. Great to see the clips with Roger in them, too. I've loved watching this show for years and years.

  7. I like how with Kevin, it feels like we're right along with him as he explains to the camera what is happening and asking the experts the exact right questions. I like how he approaches everyone with enthusiasm and curiosity.

  8. You literally got the job that alot of us kids wanted when we were 8 years olds watching these men with our fathers.

  9. أنت في مكانك الصحيح .
    You are in your right place .