HGTV’s Alison Victoria Dishes on ‘Sin City Rehab’ Season 2, Her Love Life & More

Alison Victoria doubles down on her Las Vegas gamble during Season 2 of Sin City Rehab. The no nonsense designer continues to dig her heels into building up business one client and one renovation at a time. This comes with its own set of challenges including a competitive market, tight deadlines, and the drama weathering through various personalities.  

The season premiere episode of the Windy City Rehab spinoff on October 7 sees Victoria help Zar Zanganeh, a flashy Las Vegas realtor, who wants a kitchen that doesn’t look like a kitchen. If the pressure fulfilling his vision for the space wasn’t enough, she’ll also have to help the homeowner after he is scammed out of custom cabinets. It’s just another day at the office for the HGTV staple. Thankfully, she has support at home in the form of her filmmaker and producer beau Brandt Andersen. The two met at a health retreat and went public with their relationship in 2024. Victoria was married previously to Luke Harding before separating in 2019 and divorcing in 2022. 

Here Victoria opens up about the new season of Sin City Rehab. She also shares what life has been like on and off The Strip. 

What was kind of your big takeaway from the first season? Perhaps, this time around you had a bit more confidence going in? 

Alison Victoria: I would say I feel a little more grounded. Like I’m here, I’m home, people know I’m here. So, there’s a different confidence that goes with that because you’re not starting from scratch. Those same problems that I had in Season 1 are problems I have every day of my life. Contractors, subcontractors who disrespect me, I say that’s every part of every episode. That stuff happens all the time. Cameras on, cameras off, it’s just part of the job. But when it comes to Season 2, this has been 10 times more challenging. The reason is because Season 1 was way more client-based, where I was like, “Okay, I’m going to get clients, and then make money, and then get back into the flipping game.” Season 2, I’m still in the same position where the Chicago [property] hasn’t sold. So, I started looking at partnering with different flippers in town.

That has definitely had its own set of problems. When you do stuff for yourself, when I work for myself, I only have one person to make proud and one person to let down. I don’t have to ask for permission. This season I link up with some different flippers in Las Vegas, and everyone gets to see how that unfolds. I am really proud of the season. We added a ninth episode right about the middle of the season. It’s a very important ninth episode that I feel really excited about, and I can’t wait to show people. I’m not done with it, by the way.  I’m still working on that today and tomorrow and this week. It’s a different vibe this season because I’m stepping into new territory kind of in my new home.

We meet Zar in the first episode. He has been helping others with properties, but now you’re helping him with his own place. What stood out about this one? 

Zar is a breath of fresh air. It’s a big client with a big budget, who’s a big deal in town. He’s selling the largest properties in Las Vegas. He’s connected to the who’s who of the city, and he ultimately could help my career in such a big way by being a connector for me. So it was really important for me to get the design right, especially because he had been really let down by designers in the past and screwed over. I work around all these cabinets that are coming in from Italy. There were these really expensive cabinets. I was really hesitant to even do the job because I normally don’t like walking in and having to work around somebody else’s design.

Then to find out halfway in that there are no cabinets, that was shocking for me as a designer because I’m like, well, what the hell am I going to do? We tore apart his house. He’s living in construction with his six massive horse dogs. What the hell am I going to do? It was really leaning on my connections that I made in the last year to help me help him. There is something really gratifying that is different than just designing something beautiful for somebody that is their home. To be able to actually help them out of something traumatizing was gratifying. I mean, you spend 100 grand on cabinets, and then you find out there’s no cabinets. That’s awful. You’re being screwed over, and how can I help you? it just became this different layer of being a designer where you’re kind of a therapist too. It was definitely a long road we had, but it was also a refreshing one to start the season with because it was so big. It’s so Vegas, and I got to design differently for this one, and I love that. The future of kitchens really is not knowing that it’s a kitchen. And people are going to get to see very different designs from me. I’m just really enjoying myself.

How is your own property, your “Villa Victoria” doing?

I’m laying inside it now, and I love it. I wake up every day in the greatest light, something I designed. I’m just so happy. I’m just much happier than I was in Chicago. 

I’m sure Brandt Andersen has helped with that happiness, too. How important is it to have someone to lean on when you’re going through these challenging projects and ease concerns? Maybe even someone to remind you what’s most important? 

He is just such a bright spot. He’s such a cheerleader. Even yesterday, he just said to me that he was calling me, what’s the word? He said how tenacious I was. Just last week, when I was having a massive mental breakdown trying to finish the season, trying to deal with all these different characters and people and problems and money and all this stuff. He was like, “I got you.” He’s like, “Give me their numbers. I’m going to deal with it.” And he literally took it off my plate because he knew that I needed the help. I think so many people assume that I’ve got this because I am strong, and I am like a workhorse. I can try to do everything, but it was a gentle reminder of what I used to tell him, which was you cannot do it all. He reminded me of that, and really just eased my stress levels in a way of just not just taking it off of my shoulders. Knowing me, really understanding what I’m feeling, what I’m going through, so he can take it from me. That’s a real partnership.

You have your vision and strong opinions as a designer. How does that play when you’re designing a space together?  

We definitely work differently when it comes to design. We just had this conversation the other day where I’m more of a snap judgment. I say, “This is awesome. Let’s do this.” He is very methodical. He wants to make sure things are perfect. We’re designing something together now, but yeah, you’ll get to see in an episode something special that I do for him and for us.

Your birthday is coming up on October 31. Any big plans?

Halloween is the best birthday on the planet. It’s my favorite month. I don’t know. Brandt is not telling me where we’re going, but he’s taking me somewhere. I don’t think he knows. I don’t think he knows yet, but he’s just telling me what day we’re leaving, and then he’s going to tell me what to pack. So I’m very excited, and then I’m doing a huge birthday party in Vegas with a Studio 54 theme. 

Speaking of Halloween, we’re in the middle of Season 3 of Scariest House in America. What can you tease about what’s to come?

You are going to get to see the greatest finale of all time. I think it’s the weekend, or the week before my birthday that the finale happens. It is the funniest episode, where you get to see Retta and I and what we do when the cameras are down. We really love hanging out. Me, Retta, and the crew, when we have a day off, like, we spend it together. We go do fun things in whatever town we’re in, and you guys get to see a part of that this time. It’s really fun, and it’s always funny, but this one’s just funnier than normal. The design of this house. This is the oldest house I’ve ever worked on, and that’s all I can tell you. It’s going to be hysterical. It’s the show that I have the most fun on. It’s the show I feel the most at home doing. It’s my happy place. 

What feeling did you walk away with after filming Sin City Rehab Season 2?

I can tell you that next week as I haven’t walked away from it just yet. I can tell you I feel exhausted mentally and physically. I feel like I was pushed to a limit that I never ever thought I would allow myself to be pushed. I felt many times this season very taken advantage of. I learned a lot. I say a lot this season that this is my season of saying yes. Saying yes to opportunities, and different partnerships, and different people, and different projects. What I’m taking away from that is the person that I trust the most and the person that I love the most is me. I’m walking away knowing that betting on myself is really a sure bet.

Sin City Rehab Season 2 premiere, October 7, 9/8c, HGTV