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Studfinder Central: This fall's lineup of hammering hotties

Andrew Dan-Jumbo of "While You Were Out"

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There's a shop-load of home shows out there, and they all seem to have one thing in common. We're talking studs, and not the 2-by-4 variety.

With his chiseled good looks and slap-happy manner, Ty Pennington is by far the most popular tool on the shelf — in fact, a recent online poll conducted by TV Guide gave him 55 percent of the "Who's the most sexy?" vote. A Los Angeles transplant with roots in Atlanta, Pennington first hacksawed his way into our hearts as the happy-go-lucky carpenter on TLC's "Trading Spaces." These days, you'll find him drilling and thrilling on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

Named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2003, Andrew Dan-Jumbo, the carpenter from TLC's secret makeover series, "While You Were Out," has distinguished himself as yet another home-show heartthrob. Born in Nigeria, Dan-Jumbo was a semi-pro surfer, a graphic designer and a model before he hit the Mr. Fix-It fast track in 2002.

	Marc "Sparky" Bartolomeo of "In a Fix"

Marc "Sparky" Bartolomeo, the stunningly handsome electrician on TLC's "In A Fix," has many of his viewers "in a frenzy." A Brooklyn native whose rise to fame started when his girlfriend secretly entered him in an underwear contest, Bartolomeo has caused quite a buzz among his fans, many of whom spend hours on the Internet searching for his old modeling photos. According to TLC, some of The Sparkster's favorite hobbies include baking and collecting antiques. Shocking!

But it's not all about the boys. Home shows have their fair share of buzzsaw-wielding babes as well.

	Amy Wynn Pastor of "Trading Spaces"

One of the first female carpenters to appear on television, Amy Wynn Pastor of TLC's "Trading Spaces" grew up in Pennsylvania, where she attended a Quaker school as a child and later went on to Penn State, majoring in theater. Contrary to rumor, her father was not a carpenter (he plays first trombone in the Philly Pops); her passion for the craft arose after she took her first carpentry course in college. According to the TLC Web site, this girl-next-door enjoys welding, cross-stitching, collecting vampire folklore and playing with children. All that, plus she can operate a band saw.

	Jennie Lyn Berntson of "In a Fix"

According to her online bio, Jennie Lyn Berntson of TLC's "In A Fix" always has been a tomboy, discovering early on her knack for carpentry. Somewhere in there, she must have stumbled onto a few other talents as well, because in addition to building theater sets, she's done indie films, music videos, modeling and, most recently, a sexy photo shoot for the lad mag FHM, complete with work boots and jackhammer. While Berntson can build a mean shelf, it's her nails (and we're not talking the finishing variety) that truly impress: She wears an inch-long French manicure on every show.

— Diane Mapes, special to The Seattle Times

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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