One charge dropped against HGTV co-host

The prosecution withdrew one of four charges against the co-host of an HGTV home renovation show accused of harassing and defrauding a Toronto woman after a dispute over the work done on the woman’s home earlier this year.Crown attorney Michael Callaghan said the extortion charge against Barrington Anthony Sayers — better known as Anthony Sayers, the “trusty contractor” on the real estate and renovation show The Unsellables — was dropped Monday because “the conduct was encapsulated in the criminal harassment charge. “There was no reasonable prospect of conviction and by dropping this extortion charge, the remaining charges could be dealt with at the Ontario Court of Justice,” explained Callaghan, meaning the trial will not proceed to Superior Court, which consumes more court time and costs and could require a jury. Sayers, 41, is no longer charged with extorting homeowner Doreen Boulos, who contracted Sayers’ private company in early February to complete work done by a previous contractor. Sayers is still charged with two counts of criminal harassment and one count of fraud under $5,000.