The Block on Channel 9 – The pools are being filled, the backyards are taking shape and all hell is breaking loose on Charming Street.
Get ready, because tonight we learn what happens when neighbourhood relations well and truly sour.
When we last saw Leah, she was irate and calling for a Body Corp meeting.
She and husband Ash demanded that Kyle and Leslie open their books for an audit on their landscape.
That was then, this is now.
Something has changed and we suspect it has to do with the group dinner everyone is enjoying.
Everyone that is, except Leah and Ash.
The rest of the teams are busy hearing Leslie recap what went down and overwhelmingly throw their support behind House 1. They are relieved to hear it.
Kristy and Brett openly state they would not support an audit at all.
“It’s a no from us,” says Brett firmly.
But Eliza and Liberty are a little torn. They explain they’ll always back their best mates in House 1, but they’re taken aback by Leslie retracting her Block Bucks Camerich swap with Leah.
“It’s a bit of our character for her,” admits Liberty.
She’s particularly shaken that Leslie is allowing Leah to discover that act of revenge in her own time.
Eliza notes that Leslie has simply been pushed too far and taken a new approach, which is; “‘I’ve seen everyone else be ruthless so hey, maybe I’ll be a bit ruthless.'”
Whether Leah has cottoned onto this fact or not, she’s suddenly and very randomly decided a Body Corp and audit are no longer viable options.
Instead, Leah denies having any sort of “malicious intent” behind her earlier accusations. She and Ash explain they merely wanted some clarity around how Kyle and Leslie were affording their landscape and wowsers, speaking of brand new approaches, we seem to have another one.
Regardless, Leah is about to encounter a whopping big blindside.
She has yet to learn that Leslie has canned their agreed Block Bucks swap. The rather large ‘dream’ order Leah has placed with Camerich has been unceremoniously cancelled, and Leah’s styling plans have gone completely out the window.
Only, Leah doesn’t know that yet.
Leslie says she’s not trying to be spiteful but she is fed up and doesn’t like having her integrity questioned. “[Leah and Ash] tried to hide it under the guise that [their] concern was for us,” Leslie explains.
“You don’t get to go around and treat people like that and then also go ‘Well, ‘I’ll also have your Block Bucks.'”
Leah is about to feel the full extent of Leslie’s wrath.
She’s eagerly awaiting the delivery of her prized $11,500 daybed from Camerich when she gets a phone call, which shatters all of her fantasies of a perfect backyard.
Leah is instantly devastated as Doug from Camerich gently explains he won’t be delivering her order.
…And she hasn’t even heard the worst of it.
When Doug adds that the order has been canned because House 1 cancelled their agreed credit swap, Leah is mortified. She hangs up the phone, clearly reeling.
“I don’t think people know how to do deals around here,” she squeaks. “When a deal is done, it’s kinda done.”
She’s very upset and not just because she has no furniture. “[I] just felt betrayed that she wanted to hurt me that bad,” Leah says sadly.
As the reality of what’s happened sinks in, Leah starts to get both angry and upset. “There’s nothing dirtier than taking back a deal and also doing it behind your [expletive] back,” she says.
Ash admits he isn’t surprised, as Leah sobs and says she is a woman of her word – unlike Kyle and Leslie. “They’re sneaky,” she weeps. “I’ve never encountered people like this.”
She calls Leslie’s actions, “the ultimate revenge” and points out she had chosen to drop the audit because she took Kyle and Leslie’s word that things were above board.
But when Leah tries to rally and order some new furniture, she’s instantly overcome. She calls one supplier and can’t even manage to talk, before she breaks down in tears.
Next door in House 1, Kyle and Leslie are cracking on with the landscaping that caused all the drama in the first place. Scott Cam and Shelley Craft have popped by for their regular weekly walkaround and Scott says he loves the fact they’re going all out this week.
Kyle clarifies exactly what that means – that they’re putting all their remaining cash into backyard week.
“If we don’t get a 10 or we don’t win, then Leslie and I are going to be rolling out some free turf out the front,” he admits.
“This week was about getting close enough to use the gnome,” Leslie agrees.
Scott quizzes the pair about the Block Bucks fiasco. Leslie clarifies what she did and why. When the couple learn Leah can’t get the Camerich furniture she desired, she and Kyle can’t help but chuckle.
“Honestly, when did we become these people?” Leslie says.
There is much less laughter next door in House 2.
Leah and Ash also share their side of the budget confrontation and Block Bucks drama with Scott and Shelley.
“They might be angry that we brought up the budget chat with them,” muses Ash.
Um… ya reckon?
His recollection of how that chat went down is more measured that what reality showed, but it’s very clear feelings are hurt on both sides of the fence.
In a surprise twist, Scott and Shelley present each team with a bonus $5000 cash from Weber. It takes the sting out of Leah’s lost Camerich Block Bucks and she’s a little happier when she realises she may be able to scrape back some of her original order, after all.
House 5 are buzzing not just about the extra cash but the fact they’ve achieved far more than they could have hoped during their time on The Block.
They resolve to take their newfound confidence into their normal lives, once the renovation ends. “You’re a different woman,” Shelley tells Eliza.
“It’s awesome,” Eliza agrees. “We’ve had the best, best journey ever here… We started out really questioning ourselves, no confidence. And as we’ve gone along we have been sponges and learned so much.”
Which includes prioritising meal times and cheering on your team, apparently…
Next door, Steph and Gian have been going through an incredibly tough time. They have both just experienced the death of their grandfathers, and are grappling with enormous pressure. “I can’t tell you how hard this week has been mentally,” Steph explains. “The combination of it all just got a bit too much for us.”
Gian explains the devastating double blow has given them a huge amount of perspective. “It just brings you back to, kind of, reality,” he says. “We’re gonna push through and finish strong.”
They’re creating an impressive outdoor space that includes a pool and sauna area and even a weather proof dining zone that extends the home in spectacular fashion.
“If that doesn’t win, I’ll eat my hat,” says Ash, admiring their impressive execution.
“If the inside was beige, the outside is most definitely green,” enthuses Gian, marvelling at the vast array of plants they have.
It’s in stark contrast to what is happening in House 3, where there is zero greenery.
“We are very much not on track and landscaping sucks!” is how Kristy sums up their current status.
She and Brett have been increasingly losing faith in their landscaper throughout the week and that’s about to come to an almighty crescendo.
They learn that not only are their landscaper’s plans not luxe enough for The Block, he has also failed to order any plants.
Let’s just say, that’s a rather big call for landscaping week.
When asked if he’ll get the job done in time, the landscaper smiles. “I bloody hope so,” he says.
Hearing this, Kristy is disgusted. “Our arses are on the line now,” she states. “This is stuffed,” agrees Brett.
“This week has been absolute chaos,” Kristy concludes.
In stark contrast, and for the record, over at House 1 Troy Lovett has done precisely what he planned to do.
Troy went “super hard” at the start of the week and now he and the team have wrapped up their part of House 1’s backyard plans.
“All pretty calm here,” he says.
For now, anyway. We’ve got a feeling that won’t last long…
The Block on Nine and 9Now – airs Sunday 7.00pm and continues 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
The Block on Channel 9
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
