PREMIERE OF "ELLEN'S DESIGN CHALLENGE" CAPTURES #1 SPOT ON HGTV'S MONDAY NIGHT LINEUP

New York [For Immediate Release - January 28, 2015] Ellen's Design Challenge was the #1 rated program on HGTV on Monday, January 26 at 9p, garnering a .72 rating among viewers P25-54 -- a 50% improvement versus the prior 13 week time period average. More than 3.9 million total viewers tuned in to the premiere of the furniture competition series. The strong performance cemented HGTV's position as a top 10 rated cable network on Monday night.

Conceptualized by television icon and entertainment pioneer Ellen DeGeneres, the six-episode series, Ellen's first on cable television, features six competitors as they tackle ingenious challenges to sketch, design and build extraordinary furniture. Produced by Ellen's production company, A Very Good Production, and A. Smith & Co. in association with Telepictures, Ellen's Design Challenge series requires that contestants create inventive furniture designs to avoid elimination. The last competitor standing receives a $100,000 cash prize courtesy of Wayfair.com and gets to see their work featured in HGTV Magazine.

ABOUT HGTV

America's leading home and lifestyle brand, HGTV features a top-rated cable network that is distributed to more than 96 million U.S. households and HGTV.com, the premier source for home-related inspiration, instruction and entertainment, attracts more than six million people each month. The brand also includes the HGTV HOME(TM) consumer products line which showcases exclusive collections of paint, flooring, lighting, furniture, plants, fabrics and other home-oriented products. For more information on HGTV HOME branded products and to find a retailer, go to www.hgtvhome.com. In partnership with Hearst Magazines, the HGTV Magazine, a home and lifestyle publication, is currently available on newsstands. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., HGTV is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI).