Six weeks after disclosing his battle with tonsil cancer, actor John Reardon and his wife, actress Meghan Ory, are eager to build a bright new future — quite literally. The real-life Hallmark Channel couple revealed on February 10, 2025, that they’ve started a new YouTube channel and series to chronicle the renovation of their 120-year-old house as they rebuild their life together.
“We’ve been feeling very grateful for all of the support that the world has shown us over the last few months,” Ory told fans in an Instagram post about their new venture, “and we wanted to do something that could hopefully bring some laughs and joy into your homes, after you brought so much joy into ours.”
After undergoing months of treatment, Reardon happily shared on February 5 that his doctors have “cleared” him to return to work, including on his long-running Canadian TV series “Hudson & Rex.” In the couple’s February 10 post, he said he’s also “excited about saving and bringing back to life” their old home as a camera crew tags along.
Meghan Ory & John Reardon Promise ‘A Lot of Questionable Decisions’ in New YouTube Series
Given that they’ve portrayed characters in many different professions over the years, Ory and Reardon decided to name their YouTube series “I Play One on TV,” joking that they’ll never meet the standards of real DIY professionals but will depend on contractor Guff Thompson to help them through the process.
Sitting in frigid temperatures in the backyard of their Canadian home, where they moved after living for 20 years in Los Angeles, the “Believe in Christmas” stars predicted there will be plenty of snafus and setbacks that they plan to just take in stride as they renovate the home and raise their three kids.
“Because, you know, why not?” Ory laughed. “Why not film our total and utter failures and inability to do things?”
To describe their YouTube channel, the couple wrote, “With no experience, no safety net and A LOT OF QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS, we bring in real experts to stop us from bringing the house down. Get ready for lots of laughs, drama and the unexpected twists.”
In their first behind-the-scenes video, the couple gave viewers a tour of the house, which was featured in Ory’s 2023 Hallmark movie “The Secret Gift of Christmas” before crews tore down most of the walls. They did leave the stairway and banister in the home’s entryway, they revealed, but most everything else has been gutted.
They’re even in the process of moving the kitchen from one side of the house to the other, which allowed their crew to discover old nails embedded in the electrical wiring, which Ory said would have eventually resulted in a fire.
“Had we not torn this house apart, it would have burned down,” Ory said.
John Reardon Shared His Cancer Diagnosis After Completing Treatment
Reardon revealed on Christmas Eve 2024 that he’d spent part of the year battling tonsil cancer with his wife by his side.
“Last night was my first night out after my recovery from tonsil cancer,” he wrote in the caption of a joint Instagram post with Ory, which featured two photos — one of him looking strong and healthy from the previous night and another of him in the midst of his cancer treatment.
“Has been a long road between these two pictures,” he continued in his post, “and the difference is from the love and support I received from my people in my life.”
Married since 2008, per Just Jared, Reardon thanked Ory for “taking on our whole world to help me get better” as well as their “brave kids who inspire me.” He went on to share his gratitude for others who’d help him through the journey, acknowledging “My Dad who took me for a walk everyday even when it was hard for me to get out of bed – and I’m sure hard for him to see his son in pain. My mom @ocean__cottage who made me soups and ginger honey tea and green juices so I could get calories into my body.”
In addition to thanking other family members, Reardon showed his appreciation for “all the amazing doctors, nurses, technicians, hospital workers, psychologists you are all my heroes and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
In an Instagram Story Ory shared that night, she wrote, “So proud of you @johnny_reardon_ And #cancerfree I love you love you Love you”
Comments
Meghan Ory & John Reardon Provide Big Update Weeks After Sharing Cancer Journey