Mr. T, Belushi Among Celebrity Series & V Programs on DIY Network's 2015 Roster

Swinging hammers, knocking down walls and rebuilding spaces helped DIY Network end 2014 with its highest-rated and most-watched year ever among viewers P25-54. Now the network, which attracts 13 million viewers on average each month, has teed up more than 400 hours of original programming in 2015, including 16 new series with such themes as building, renovation and restoration. Making a name for itself by featuring unexpected celebrities like Vanilla Ice, William Shatner and Rev Run, DIY Network is premiering new celebrity-driven series such as I Pity the Tool, which showcases the iconic Mr. T as he demolishes and renovates homes, and Building Belushi, which stars performer, actor, comedian and musician Jim Belushi as he builds his riverfront cabin in Eagle Point, Oregon. New series Attic Gold, a spin-off of the top-rated Garage Gold, features a pair of junk pickers who clean out people's attics looking for treasures, while Miami Flip and First Time Flippers will be among the first flipping-themed series on DIY Network.

DIY Network's more than 35 returning hits include The Vanilla Ice Project, a series that follows pop icon Vanilla Ice and his crew of contractors as they renovate outdated Florida mansions one gaudy floor at a time. Premiering for a fifth season earlier this month, THE VANILLA ICE PROJECT delivered 32% more P25-54 audience impressions than its season four premiere. In August, Daryl's Restoration Over-Hall returns with new episodes. The series stars Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Daryl Hall of the American musical duo Daryl Hall and John Oates, as he continues the restoration of his 18th century Connecticut home. Fresh episodes of other fan favorites will hit the air this year, including HOLMES MAKES IT RIGHT (Mike Holmes); REHAB ADDICT (Nicole Curtis); SLEDGEHAMMER (Jason Cameron) and Building Alaska. Nearly 100 new episodes of the immensely popular Crashers franchise-Kitchen Crashers (Alison Victoria), BATH CRASHERS (Matt Muenster), YARD CRASHERS (Chris Lambton) and HOUSE CRASHERS (Josh Temple)-also will premiere.

"With a strong lineup of returning series, powerhouse expert talent and some surprising celebrities on the horizon, we pity the fool who doubts that DIY Network will perform strongly in 2015," said Kathleen Finch, president, HGTV, DIY Network and Great American Country.

Below are the new series on the DIY Network spring/summer 2015 programming roster:

First Time Flippers
Series premiere: Saturday, May 2, at 8 p.m. ET/PT
First Time Flippers showcases the home renovation and flipping process from a beginner's perspective. Each episode features novice flippers as they use their basic home improvement skills to renovate a dilapidated property and attempt to turn a disaster house into a high dollar flip.

Lake Life
Series premiere: Tuesday, May 12, at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Lake Life follows the Herman family, owners of a business that specializes in constructing fantasy waterfront creations, including fully loaded floating man caves, super slides and spectacular decks for lakeside entertaining.

American Rehab: Virginia
Series premiere: Thursday, May 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT
The Mount Airy home has been in Tayloe Emery's family for 10 generations-and some of its rooms haven't been touched since it was built more than 250 years ago. Now, Tayloe and his wife Catherine are tackling a full restoration of the Virginia estate while preserving its beauty and history.

Miami Flip
Series premiere: May TBD
Miami's Carolina Sullivan, a resourceful renovator with a keen eye for flipping houses, restoring properties and selling them for a profit, pulls no punches when it comes to completing a renovation on time and on budget.

Building Belushi
Series premiere: Saturday, July 11, at 10 p.m. ET/PT
The series follows one of America's most beloved performers, Jim Belushi, as the actor, comedian and musician, along with his team of experts, build a riverfront retreat cabin in Eagle Point, Oregon.

Attic Gold
Series premiere: July TBD
Eric and Michelle Meyers clean out junk-filled New England attics looking for hidden treasures before transforming the attic into a bright, new space the whole family can enjoy.

ABOUT DIY NETWORK

DIY Network, from the creators of HGTV and Food Network, is the go-to destination for rip-up, knock-out home improvement television. Currently in more than 58 million homes, DIY Network's programming covers a broad range of categories, including home improvement and landscaping. The network's award-winning website, DIYNetwork.com, consistently ranks among America's top home and garden Internet destinations for entertaining videos, home improvement advice, step-by-step instructions, message boards, blogs, an interactive program guide and more. Viewers can also become fans of DIY Network and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts and do-it-yourselfers through Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., DIY Network is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI).