The Block on Channel 9 – Today, marks one third of the way through The Block. But four weeks’ experience hasn’t necessarily made things any easier, at least not this episode.
There’s car crashes, thievery (of sorts), rule breakers and just a whole lot of chaos. Time to unpack it all!
Let’s start with Kristy and Brett in House 3 who are lagging behind the others thanks to the extra step of them having to re-stump their floors.
That extra labour means extra dosh, but they’ve come up with a crafty side hustle to make some more coin.
Cast your mind back to a week earlier when they gave Scott Cam a commemorative brick from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, well Kristy and Brett stumbled across two palettes of those bricks and they’re worth a pretty penny – $135 a brick to be exact.
The couple have caught wind that there might be a further two palettes which means they could make up to $112,000 if they sell them all. It’s no wonder Brett says, “Protect the bricks at all costs.”
Understandably, Brett is rattled when he sees his bricks being carted off and applied to Leah and Ash’s house.
He tries to stop the House 2 trades with the bricks in their tracks. “I chased them down,” Brett later tells cameras.
But Kristy and Brett come up with an alternate solution to the brick theft. “We’re going to invoice them $3,750 for the 150 bricks they’ve taken from us,” Brett tells cameras.
Perhaps still rattled by the brick conundrum, later that day Kristy drives into a bollard at the service station while purchasing morning tea donuts for the tradies.
She manages to smash up ‘The Block’ logo side of the car, but no one is hurt and the donuts are safe.
Falling behind schedule seems to be a theme, and following suit are Eliza and Liberty
With two wet areas and a huge bathroom to deliver this week, the sisters are under the pump and slammed with so much work, time really does fly.
Day turns into night before they know it House 5’s trades are still using power tools past 6pm which is a big Block no-no.
Eliza and Liberty tell their trades to put the tills down, but the trades “desperately want to get the room done”.
While the sisters appreciate the hard work of their trades they are “not prepared to jeopardise [their] reputation and relationships and lose money or be shut down just to get a room done”.
Foreman Keith steps in and warns the girls and their trades that if he sees more progress to the room come morning there will be consequences.
It’s at this point that the reality of the Block really sets in for the girls.
“Building a room in a week is so unreasonable, doing a bathroom in a week is so unreasonable, it’s not natural,” Eliza tells cameras.
“It’s the worst day I’ve had on The Block so far.
“Hashtag so super grateful though,” she adds.
On the back of the “worst day”, the sisters have let their second wet area slip by the wayside.
“There was no real discussion, we just kind of shut the metaphorical door on the powder room and hope that it just builds itself,” Eliza explains. Like them, we’re praying for a miracle.
As if it’s an official challenge to win ‘worst day had on The Block’, Steph takes a tumble in House 2.
While Steph and Gian are having a chat with site builder Aidan about their building plans, Steph takes a small step back and falls into a hole that people have been running pipes and wires through. It’s usually covered by ply but wasn’t this time.
Crying, she’s clearly in a lot of pain. Husband Gian and builder Aidan rush to her aid and quickly send her off to first aid.
“I think I feel fine, I’m just in shock,” Steph says.
“I was disorientated I genuinely couldn’t understand what had happened.”
She has bruised ribs, and there’s nothing like a little lay down and a FaceTime call to mum to make all the difference.
And after a well deserved rest she’s back practicing her moves for the upcoming breakdancing challenge by night time.
To lift everyone’s spirits after what was really a day from hell, Shelley Craft drops by for an impromptu mini-challenge and she only needs one contestant from each house.
With Leslie away with the kids that puts Kyle up for the challenge by default, and with Steph out injured the same goes for Gian, and Liberty, Kristy and Leah follow suit.
They all race to Freedom without knowing what is going on. To find out what all the fuss is about you can read all about it here.
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
