It’s aRay Romanorenovation!
In the season 7 premiere episode ofCelebrity IOUon Monday, Jan. 1, theEverybody Loves Raymondalum, 66, teams up withProperty BrothersstarsDrewandJonathan Scottto complete a heartwarming renovation for his longtime assistant and friend, Christy.
PEOPLE got an exclusive first look at the premiere episode and chatted with the brothers, 45, about what it was like to help transform Christy’s bathroom and primary bedroom into a boutique hotel-style escape featuring a few sentimental touches.
During the construction process, the actor made sure to tell the brothers that Christy “goes above and beyond” for him and that she’s been through a lot since her mother’s passing. Drew tells PEOPLE all about the creative idea Romano had to incorporate her mother’s favorite bird, a crow, into Christy’s space.
“Christy has been with Ray for nearly 20 years,” Drew explains. “Ray actually admits he doesn’t know design. It’s not his forte, he’s not handy. However, he brought up a few things that were great. The stained-glass feature that we did with the crows in the bathroom — that came from Ray.”
Romano and the brothers were originally set to refresh just Christy’s bathroom so they could maximize the space she shares with her husband and sometimes her teenage daughter. But the comedian wanted to take his appreciation for her to the next level and surprise her with a primary bedroom upgrade too.
Drew and Jonathan add that although Romano fully committed to the project and “was actually out there building with us,” he still found time to crack a few jokes along the way.
In the exclusive clip above, the actor partners with Drew to knock down a wall in Christy’s room.
“Smashing a hammer through a wall — it’s kind of therapeutic. I may not have to go to my shrink today,” Romano jokes. Drew then recalls tellingBrad Pitt, who was aguest on the show in 2020, that demolishing walls is a great exercise for actors to get out any stress before an audition.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
“Ray Romano is one of those people who is not trying to be funny — he’s just funny,” Drew tells PEOPLE. “We were laughing that we almost feel like we’re three brothers. He’s like a Property Brother from another mother who’s a little less handy.”
source: people.com
