Food Network is gearing up for Halloween with a new season of “Outrageous Pumpkins,” which brings pumpkin carving to a whole new level.
Hosted by Damaris Phillips, the nation’s best pumpkin carvers will go head-to-head to create larger-than-life pumpkin creations.
“It really is a show about carving pumpkins if you put it on steroids. It’s very talented artists who are using the medium of pumpkins to make seasonal, Halloween-inspired sculptures,” said Phillips.
In the new season of “Outrageous Pumpkins,” the competitors will create sculptures each week reaching up to six feet tall, each with lights and animatronic elements and special effects to embrace the spooky season. This season’s competitors include Brian “Tator” Edwards, Brandy Davis, William Wilson, Daniel Miller, Ethan Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Rebecca DeGroot, James Hall, Danny Kissel, Willy Tuz, Titus Arensberg, David Smith, Chaminda Weerappulige, and Carli Ihde. This season’s judges include Terri Hardin and Deane Arnold.
On this season, you might recognize the competitors because they’ve all competed on a past season of the show, making it the show’s first-ever All-Star season. However, this season takes it a step further: because the competitors have been on past seasons, instead of competing solo, they will be paired up to compete together. The winners will go home with $50,000 and the first-ever title of Outrageous Pumpkins All-Stars Champions.
“There’s no way to not come into it thinking we’re gonna have our minds blown. I started hosting in season four and binged the first three season before I went to host, and I was absolutely floored. I didn’t have a grasp on how talented these people were,” said Phillips. “I’ve watched every single one of them carve and do exceptionally beautiful pieces of art, so I couldn’t help but think, you’ve got someone else over there, I hope it’s even bigger. I hope it’s even crazier, you would expect them just to do the same thing but have more time so that they’re less hurried. There’s more attention to detail so that they can execute it the way that they want to be executed.”
Despite having competed before, it doesn’t guarantee anything for the competitors. Since they are working with pumpkin, you can never be 100% sure that it will cooperate with the competitors.
“They’re using an organic substance to carve into, so if they have something that’s six feet tall with all of the weight hinging on one pumpkin on the bottom, it’s stressful,” said Phillips.
Phillips says that this season is in for an impressive season that really lets the competitors shine.
“I think that people can expect that the carver’s personalities really shine. In addition to how talented they are, it is a delight to see these two artists work together,” said Phillips. “It’s a real humbling experience for me. I’m always glad I’m just the host because I don’t know that I would be able to make any kind of a decision. I have such respect for [the competitors].”
“Outrageous Pumpkins” premieres on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network.
