Hilary Farr

Early Life and Formative Years

Hilary Farr was born Hilary Elizabeth Labow in Toronto, Ontario on August 31, 1951. Her father was Canadian and Jewish, while her mother was British and a member of the Church of England. This interfaith background led to Farr being raised celebrating both Jewish and Christian religious traditions during her childhood. The family moved to London, England, where Farr spent her formative years and developed her early artistic interests.

In London, she attended the prestigious Royal Ballet School until the age of eleven, initially aspiring to a career as a ballerina. Her interests later expanded to include theatre and, significantly, interior design. Farr has credited her mother with introducing her to design principles, as she helped decorate their family home. This early exposure planted the seeds for her future career in transforming living spaces, though her professional path would first wind through other creative fields.

Career Beginnings in Acting and Set Design

Farr began her professional career in Los Angeles, where she pursued two parallel paths. She started purchasing, renovating, and selling homes, honing the practical skills she would later use on television. Concurrently, she worked as a set designer for film and television, which provided a steady income and creative outlet. It was during this period that she also pursued acting under her maiden name, Hilary Labow.

Her most notable film credit is a small part in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, where she played Betty Munroe, a bride who tosses her bouquet. Farr has recalled living in the same building as star Tim Curry prior to landing that role. Other film appearances included City on Fire and The Return, and she also had small parts in various television sitcoms in the early 1980s while working as a personal assistant. She also performed on stage, playing Betty Rizzo and the singing role of Marty in a London production of Grease that featured Richard Gere as Danny Zucko.

Rise to Prominence with Love It or List It

Farr's career shifted decisively when she auditioned for a new Canadian television series. She was the first person signed by Big Coat Productions (now Big Coat TV) for the role of co-host and designer on Love It or List It. The show premiered on the W Network in Canada in September 2008. It featured Farr as the designer who would renovate a family's current home, while her co-host David Visentin would attempt to convince them to sell it and buy a new one.

The series quickly became a top performer for the network, resonating with Canadian audiences interested in home improvement and real estate. Its success led to an international broadcast deal with HGTV, which began airing the show in the United States in 2011. This exposure made Farr a familiar face to millions of viewers across North America. For fifteen seasons, Farr's design expertise and on screen chemistry with Visentin were central to the program's identity and enduring popularity.

Post Love It or List It Career and Business Ventures

In late 2023, Farr announced her departure from Love It or List It, concluding a fifteen year run on the series. She marked the occasion with a touching tribute to the show and its fans. Her television career continued without pause, however, as she launched a new series on HGTV titled Tough Love with Hilary Farr. This show presents a different challenge, with Farr helping families whose dysfunctional home layouts are straining their relationships, using creative design solutions to improve their living dynamics.

Beyond television, Hilary Farr has been active as a businesswoman and educator in the design field. In 2017, she co-founded Rules of Renovation, a real estate investment seminar series held at locations across North America for aspiring investors. She has also occasionally returned to the stage. In 2016, she appeared in Ross Petty's stage version of Sleeping Beauty at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto. For this production, she played the role of Malignicent, a renamed version of the character Maleficent.

Personal Life and Health

Farr married Canadian television producer Gordon Farr in 1982. The couple had a son the following year, in 1983, and they divorced in 2008, the same year her flagship television series premiered. In her personal time, Farr has been a passionate advocate for animal rescue efforts, and in 2017 she volunteered with an organization in Nairobi, Kenya, that works to protect orphaned elephants. Farr has been open about her health journey, sharing in December 2021 that she was diagnosed with a precancerous tumour in 2012, which was surgically removed.

A subsequent mammogram revealed Farr had developed malignant breast cancer. She was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer in 2014. She underwent radiation therapy and further surgical intervention as part of her treatment. As of 2022, she remains in remission from the disease. In a 2025 interview, she was noted for embracing her natural gray curls alongside her friend Jane Seymour.

Public Persona and Cultural Impact

Through her long tenure on Love It or List It, Hilary Farr became a prominent and trusted figure in Canadian lifestyle television. Her design sensibility, which often emphasized practical, liveable solutions alongside aesthetic improvements, helped educate a generation of homeowners. Her direct yet empathetic approach with clients made her a relatable authority. The success of the format she helped pioneer led to numerous similar shows and solidified the home renovation genre as a staple of Canadian broadcasting.

Hilary Farr is now the host of the HGTV show Tough Love with Hilary Farr. This new show sees the designer work with families to get past dysfunctional issues in their home. She also has a significant social media following where she engages with fans. Her career began with her working as a home renovator and designing film and television sets in Los Angeles. She also worked as an actress in minor film roles during that time.

Questions about Hilary Farr

What is Hilary Farr's new show about?

Hilary Farr's new show is titled Tough Love with Hilary Farr and airs on HGTV. The series challenges Farr to help families whose homes have dysfunctional layouts that are negatively impacting their relationships and daily lives. Unlike the 'renovate versus relocate' premise of her previous show, this format focuses on using creative design and renovation solutions specifically to mend the strained dynamics within a home. The goal is to transform the space to better support the family's functional and emotional needs.

Did Hilary Farr have breast cancer?

Yes, Hilary Farr was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer. She first had a precancerous tumour surgically removed in 2012. A subsequent mammogram then revealed she had developed malignant breast cancer in 2014. Her treatment involved radiation therapy and further surgical intervention. Farr publicly shared this health journey in December 2021 and reported that as of 2022, she remained in remission from the disease.

What was Hilary Farr's role in The Rocky Horror Picture Show?

Hilary Farr, then credited under her maiden name Hilary Labow, played a minor role in the 1975 cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She portrayed the character Betty Munroe, a bride who is seen tossing her bouquet into a crowd at a wedding. The bouquet is caught by the film's protagonist, Janet Weiss, played by Susan Sarandon. Farr has mentioned that she lived in the same building as star Tim Curry prior to getting the part.

Where was Hilary Farr born and raised?

Hilary Farr was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on August 31, 1951. She was raised in London, England. There, she attended the Royal Ballet School until age 11. Her mother was British and her father was Canadian.

What is Hilary Farr's educational background?

Hilary Farr attended the Royal Ballet School in London until she was 11 years old. She aspired to have a career as a ballerina during her youth. Her interest in theatre and interior design developed later. She learned about design by helping her mother decorate their family home.

When did Hilary Farr leave Love It or List It?

Hilary Farr left the HGTV reality television series Love It or List It in 2023. She had been the co-host and designer since the show first aired in September 2008. Her departure was announced with a touching tribute. She had been a central figure on the show for many years.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.