APPENDIX TELLS PENNINGTON IT'S TIME FOR AN EXTREME MAKEOVER

Ty Pennington, the design team leader from ABC's hit series "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," underwent surgery on Saturday, January 15 in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia for Acute Appendicitis (perforated appendix).

Pennington was in Atlanta preparing for an episode that will continue to film as planned. Although he will be recuperating, the energetic and dedicated Pennington will carry on his design team leader duties - albeit from his hospital bed.

"I don't want to let the family down, and all of us with the show want to give them the new house they deserve," Pennington said. "Thanks to phones and emails, I will be able to maintain my part by giving input to the other designers and discussing our plans for the house. I am just so glad this happened in Atlanta, where I have so much support from my family and friends."

Tom Forman, executive producer and creator of the series said: "Instead of disappointing the family and postponing the production, Ty was willing to make his predicament a part of the episode. Our show has always been authentic in the way it portrays reality, and this is just another testament to that."

Andrea Wong, executive vice president, Alternative Programming, Specials and Late-Night, ABC Primetime Entertainment, added: "We couldn't be more relieved to know that Ty is going to be safe and sound. And while it may surprise some, to us it sounds just typical that he wouldn't want to slow things down."

In each episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," designers, contractors and hundreds of worker totally rebuild an entire house in a week for a deserving family - a feat that would ordinarily take at least four months to achieve. Pennington had just arrived with the show's production team in Atlanta, where they would be rebuilding a Lake City, Georgia home that has serious plumbing problems.