The Block on Channel 9 – The adrenaline surge of pushing to finish Living and Dining Room Week has passed and the teams are left shattered in its wake.
Leah and Ash are decidedly bouncy, however. They’ve just clocked up their second room win in a row and are flush with cash.
Their confidence high, they take on the Open for Inspections with vigour. Leah recently received feedback she doesn’t offer enough kind words of support and validation to her neighbours, so this week she is determined to deliver nothing but praise.
“Ready for the ‘Validation Station’!” she affirms, merrily.
Leah has previously admitted she is worried about her neighbours watching Block episodes and seeing what she’s said about their rooms.
But this morning, only one thing has her concerned. “What about if there’s no positives?” she muses.
Kristy offers up some advice on how to dish out faux niceties, putting on a peppy voice and dropping a list of proposed compliments, as Leah and Ash laugh. The two teams decide to unite for the inspections, so Kristy can provide her guidance first hand.
Kyle and Leslie in House 1 could definitely use some love, after being slammed by the judges for their “disaster” of a room.
Houses 4 and 5 manage to find things to compliment, but the ‘Validation Station’ does not. “Is that half a couch?” Kristy opens, before she slams the couple’s choice of having a curve for curve’s sake.
“They’re safe all the time,” agrees Leah. “Take a risk!”
Approaching Kyle and Leslie in person afterwards, Leah and Ash flounder as they attempt to offer constructive advice and something even marginally resembling their intended validation.
Houses 2 and 3 separate for the rest of the tour, which gives House 3 full freedom to savage Eliza and Liberty’s room. “This looks cheap,” Brett says of the fireplace styling, as Kristy also criticises their choices.
But Leah and Ash manage to be impressed by the space. Leah even tells the girls afterwards she thought it was “phenomenal.”
“You validated?” Ash checks, and the girls offer up a quiet affirmative.
But the sisters are cynical about the praise. “They love it as long as we’re nowhere near them on the scoring board,” Eliza notes.
Leah and Ash have only good things to say about their friends at House 3’s room, but save a few choice words for House 4.
“That’s actually hideous,” Leah says about the bamboo featured in Steph and Gian’s room. (The judges agreed.) She is also horrified to count 17 pots in one room. “You can’t even blame that on the lack of sleep,” she says, stunned. “That’s a whack job there.”
But Leah is enthusiastic about her Validation Station session with Steph. “Oh, she’s in for it!” Leah exclaims.
Ash sets the tone. “I felt like I was in a nursery and I had to buy all your pots,” he deadpans.
Leah adds she isn’t a fan of the bamboo. “And those two cane chairs? Not for you,” she states.
Ash notes privately that Steph has a comeback to everything, right as Steph tries to explain she is doing her best to explain the choices specific to ‘negative’ feedback Leah had given.
“I’m only saying negatives,” Leah clarifies, bluntly. “This is why I’ve stayed silent!”
But Steph isn’t bothered. “I just like the brutal honesty,” she says calmly.
And Validation Station reaches its final destination.
When it comes time for the other couples to offer validation of their own on House 2’s winning space, almost everyone agrees it was impressive – even if it isn’t their preference.
Steph however, is concerned about the space of the rooms and the very specific styling. “It’s quite jarring and polarising,” she states. “It is so niche.”
She decides to offer up some ‘validation’ of her own, carefully noting what Leah did well but adding the couch was small and she could have used some extra dining chairs.
Let’s just say Leah is as willing to hear Steph’s feedback as Steph was to hear hers.
Time for some renovating!
This week, the teams are tackling the master bedroom and ensuite. It’s the very first time the teams have worked on the brand new upstairs area.
Leah is bubbling with ideas and has a wallet full of Block cash to execute them. She’s convinced Ash this is the week to do a “very large, curved, scalloped ceiling”.
“It’s hard to explain,” says Ash. “Just as hard as it is to build.”
They at least have firm ideas, unlike Eliza and Liberty… who can’t seem to even establish the orientation of their master bedroom.
Steph and Gian are having a different problem. The pair won a $20,000 wardrobe upgrade a few weeks back, and they’re working out how to splash their cash effectively. They also have a truly enormous master bedroom, and they know they have a tonne of work ahead of them. (And they’re pretty tired, too.)
One couple who’s very eager to go upstairs is Kristy and Brett. Downstairs, the duo had been forced to re-stump their entire existing house, which has caused time delays and budget woes. Upstairs, everything is shiny and new.
It’s not the only up they’re experiencing, as Brett wins $5000 cash at the Mitre 10 lucky claw machine. That’s just the boost to their budget they’re after.Play Video
Brett takes home $5,000 from the Mitre 10 Claw
Leah and Ash are also about to win big. While off on their winner’s getaway, Scott Cam unveils that when you score a perfect 10, you get an extra $10,000, called Arnott’s Big Bikkies.
“A big fat stack of cash,” enthuses Ash.
They may be smiling but Eliza and Liberty are not. They’re clashing with their builder over their lack of plans for the week ahead. The girls are aware they’re falling off a cliff, but feel their build team should be there to catch them.
The builder, however, thinks it’s almost a non-negotiable to have a plan they can work towards, so they can be effective and deliver in a timely way. He wants the plans a week ahead, but the girls can’t get out of the weeds.
He sends them a text asking them to firm up their plans in advance – and his message leaves the girls flabbergasted.
With no room wins, a shrinking budget and their rookie status more obvious than ever, they can’t see how they can start getting even more ahead. “Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works,” Liberty states.
As they’re busy reeling over his message, their builder enters the room to discuss what he’s asked for. He notes that forward planning will ultimately take the pressure off them but the girls explain they’ve reached “zombie” status and have nothing more they can give.
“It’s two days down [this week] and we have not done a thing,” their builder explains, not unreasonably. But Eliza says in order for them to get ahead, something else has to give and they don’t know what that is.
Leah and Ash are back onsite and their fuzzy joy has the edged knocked off it when they realise their custom built cabinets aren’t the right size. Foreman Dan says he told them they needed to double check the measurements and confirms with Kinsman whether anything can be done.
Leah is immediately on the defensive. “Definitely not going to cop that one,” she states.
Handy footage shows Leah signing off on the plans weeks earlier, but she insists that the supplier usually checks the measurements, especially closer to delivery time.
Bryce from Kinsman is not impressed as Leah tries to argue her point. “It’s too late,” he says firmly. “You gave us those measurements to work to in the first place.”
Leah notes the upstairs plans changed, but Dan chips in and says she had time to update Kinsman.
“You’re throwing this all back on us, when you’re the actual contestant,” Bryce says calmly. “You’ve got a builder on site. The responsibility to sign off is your responsibility.”
“I never thought there was a problem!” Leah states.
“Because you didn’t check,” Dan retorts.
Later, Leah admits to the producers she is willing to accept some responsibility but can’t stand when there is zero ownership from the other party involved too.
Despite her feelings, Bryce comes up with a workable solution… and Leah is left bristling.
All the Blockheads are about to be served up a big dose of honest feedback however, and they definitely haven’t seen it coming.
Attending an impromptu BBQ hosted by Scott Cam, they learn this season’s new judge Marty Fox is dropping by to give them a live round of judging on their living and dining rooms.
He didn’t get a chance to see the spaces, as returning judge Neale Whitaker had taken charge this week… and he is extremely eager to offer up his thoughts.
…Whether the Blockheads like them or not.
The reception to his arrival is not exactly glowing.
Kristy sums it up: “You know when like, you’re having a really good time hanging out with your friends and then someone brings that friend that nobody likes? It was kind of like that.”
Welp.
“Marty Fox is not our favourite person,” agrees Liberty. “Not for us,” adds Eliza.
Much like his normal judging. Marty also has the confidence to tell the Blockheads exactly what he thinks of their spaces in real life.
Houses 1 and 4 are ‘validated’ by his feedback (Leah, take note!). Kristy and Brett are surprised to find his comments are useful. And Leah and Ash are still not feeling Marty Fox.
But Eliza and Liberty are stunned by the whole experience – and Liberty is hopeful that maybe Marty will be nicer to them in the future, now he’s had a chance to meet them in person.
“Nah, I think you’re delusional if you think he’s going to ease up,” Eliza says. “I think he’s going to continue to grind our gears.”
We have a sneaking suspicion it will be the latter… especially if the girls can’t get their plans in place soon.
The Block airs Sunday at 7.00pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm on Nine and 9Now. Catch up on all the latest episodes on 9Now.
This recap has been used with permission from Channel 9
Special thanks to Lulu Wilkinson at Nine.
Link to 9Now HERE
Link to Lulu’s full recap including with extra video content and info HERE
About The Block
Get ready, Australia. The Block, the number one renovation reality program, returns for an incredible 19th season on Sunday, August 6, at 7.00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Set in the family-friendly Melbourne suburb of Hampton East, the new series features five houses designed and built in the 1950s and located on the aptly named Charming Street. These grand old dames are now aged in their 70s and way overdue for a contemporary update.
For the first time in Block history, host Scott Cam will be providing contestants with the full renovation schedule ahead of time this season. So get your cameras out, Blockheads, it’s photo time.
Adding to the year of Block firsts and amping up the stakes at play during the 48-hour House Decider Challenge, contestants will be seeing all finished designs of the houses on Day 1. Who will prevail and get the house of their choice?
Not only will they get the schedule and designs up front, but in another first, they’ll receive their entire budgets as well.
However, the Blockheads will soon find out that it’s not all smooth sailing when renovating an original 1950s home – structural issues, extreme weather events, and a mountain of demolition will test our five keen couples every step of the way.
Plus, The Block’s state-versus-state rivalry will be amplified by the sheer closeness of the houses this year. Who knew being able to peak into your neighbours builds would cause such tension?
The couples in contention are: sisters Eliza and Liberty Paschke (personal assistant, 37, and integration producer, 34, VIC); parents Kyle and Leslie Cottone (firefighter, 36, and teaching aide, 34, WA); parents Leah and Ash Milton (first aid officer, 31, and builder, 36, QLD); married couple Kristy and Brett Beames (project manager, 34, and safety officer, 34, SA); and newlyweds Steph and Gian Ottavio (architect, 27, and start up worker, 27, NSW).
Real estate expert Marty Fox isn’t the only new addition to the lineup this season. The formidable foremen Keith Schleiger and Dan Reilly will be joined on site with the fan favourite from last year, Tom Calleja.
The nation fell in love with Tom and his wife Sarah-Jane because of their work ethic and relatable marital bickering, and he jumped at the chance to work with Scotty and come back as this year’s official Block plumber.
The designs of the amazing homes in this series again come from The Block’s resident architect, Julian Brenchley.
At stake is $100,000 for the overall winner of The Block, on top of any profit the five couples can all make on the critical auction day. Plus bragging rights for the winners’ state.
Since premiering on Channel 9 in 2003, Australia’s richest reality program has awarded a total of $32,592,807.65 in prizemoney.
The Block – on Channel 9 and 9Now
Media Release – Nine
TV Central Nine content HERE
