The Block on Channel 9 – Tonight we learn just how desperate our Blockheads are for cash, as Scott Cam hosts a challenge that unleashes their most competitive sides.
But first… we have some renovating to do! So grab your hi-vis and let’s get stuck straight in.
Kyle and Leslie kicked off The Block on a high. They won the first room reveal and confidently blasted into their renovation. However, since then the pair have copped the same feedback every week – that their floorplan isn’t right.
The week that earned the most savage feedback was for their living and dining spaces. The pair were soundly slammed for not getting rid of a wall to further open the space up and have since spent a fortune rectifying that issue, ready to tackle in the upcoming Re-Do Week.
But for some baffling reason, Leslie is now contemplating changing the plans again… and putting up yet another wall. This time, she wants a lower nib wall, so the room is still zoned off. Her builders are completely unimpressed at the notion.
“I want to really think about this one before we go crazy on it,” House 1’s builder says carefully.
The backflip could be driven by the lack of confidence Kyle and Leslie are experiencing, as the week draws to a close and they face the prospect of yet another round of criticism.
They get the chance to have an early pass at that when Scott Cam and Shelley Craft turn up, ready to check out everyone’s progress on their dual kids’ bedrooms.
But first, the pair marvel at the exteriors of the houses. The windows have been installed and the cladding is going up. The houses are all taking shape. “I just absolutely love them,” marvels Scott.
House 3 earn the first visit. Kristy explains her plan to wrap wallpaper up the wall and onto the ceiling in one of her rooms. “Onto the ceiling?” asks Shelley, pointedly. “All the way across?”
She and Scott are more impressed by the colour-in wallpaper that their second bedroom has. The hosts are especially thrilled when they discover they actually feature on the wallpaper.
“I notice you’ve made Marty Fox quite ugly,” Scotty quips.
What isn’t ugly are the curves in House 2’s bedrooms. Both spaces have a gorgeous curved wall that mimics the exterior of the home. Leah and Ash have transformed the curves into special spaces for children. One room has a performing nook and the other has a rock climbing wall.
They’re basically delivering a childhood dream.
But Shelley notes the obvious challenge, and questions how the couple are “future proofing” the rooms. Leah squashes that concern, explaining she believes homeowners will simply tweak the areas as their children grow.
Comparatively, in House 4, Steph and Gian are building their rooms with flexibility at front of mind. Steph’s styling has expanded to include some more earthy tones but the fixtures and fittings the couple have chosen can be easily re-styled to suit any age.
Their two rooms are joined in the middle by a ‘Jack and Jill’ bathroom – aka a bathroom that can be entered from both rooms. They’re oversized and have a beautiful view of the backyard and Scott and Shelley are impressed.
What they are not impressed about is Kyle and Leslie’s new plan to re-build the wall they just removed. “Are you out of your minds?” Scott says when he learns of their grand idea.
Shelley is equally bewildered. It’s exactly what we all predicted. The two stress that open plan living is key and that Kyle and Leslie don’t even have the funds to do it… but for some reason, the couple remain fixated on the idea.
So much drama over a wall in a room that isn’t even the one that’s being delivered this week!
Upstairs, the kids’ bedrooms earn much more praise from Scotty and Shelley. Like everyone else this week, they’re using wallpaper and also styling the spaces with budget in mind.
The hosts encourage the pair to gun for the win… then maybe they’ll have enough cash to muck about with their living space. Kyle and Leslie are left with a gnome up their sleeves, and a nib wall on their minds.
Finally in House 5, the hosts are presented with Eliza and Liberty’s rooms, one of which is a jungle-themed space. But Scott and Shelley are baffled when Eliza produces a custom made LEGO® cheetah, which she plans on including in the space. When she explains she got Brickman from LEGO Masters to make it for them, they’re appalled.
“Don’t tell me you’re being cheaters, are you?” Scott says.
They immediately ask why the two would use their contacts to get something like this done, suggesting it plays directly into Kristy and Brett’s conspiracy theory that the sisters are a Channel 9 plant.
“I can 100% categorically tell you that we are not plants by Channel 9,” says Liberty firmly.
Scott and Shelley drill the pair as to how much the cheetah should cost, and the group finally come to an agreement.
“Honestly, if there’s gonna be some big scandal, we’re happy not to display it,” Eliza vows.
The two also have another guest star who created something special in their room – a beautiful artwork by a Block fan Novalie. She is a 10 year old leukaemia patient with an incredible talent for art, who sells her cards to raise money for Children’s Cancer Institute.
Eliza admits it’s “probably the most treasured thing that we will take away from The Block.”
In a rather sharp change of pace, Scott randomly announces he has $15,000 up for grabs for the team who makes him the best meal on the Weber Q.
“That’s bigger than a normal room reveal!” breathes Eliza.
Eager for a cash injection and a delicious BBQ feast, everyone downs tools and hits Google. Three of the five couples rapidly determine that Scott’s favourite meal is lamb chops, but Brett takes it one step further.
He manages to track down Scott’s preferred butcher and picks himself up an exceptional cut of meat.
Brett currently holds the title of The Block’s Golden Sausage (official name pending), having won the last BBQ challenge when he seared Scott’s steak to perfection.
He’s clearly got an eye on a Weber endorsement, not to mention the $15k up for grabs.
But Steph and Gian are also focused on winning. So focused, they swindle a private cooking lesson at Scotty’s favourite restaurant and a complete guide on how to recreate his preferred dish.
The competition is hot. (Pun fully intended.) But not spicy. Because we learn Scott does not like chilli.
Steph and Gian may have seared a scallop perfectly but they lose points when they serve Scotty up the wrong wine.
He screws up his nose at their offering of Sauvignon Blanc and ruthlessly tosses it over his shoulder.
But at least they had wine available. Kyle and Leslie falter when they fail to find a corkscrew to open their bottle. Kyle eventually resorts to using an electric screwdriver.
Brett’s butcher hack comes to fruition when the succulent lamb cutlet he expertly grilled is revealed to be at least three times thicker and juicier than everyone else’s.
He is again declared the winner… which means he and Kristy have now won more money for their cooking skills than their renovation results – $25,000 to be precise.
“The guy has come on the wrong show,” observes Gian.
“We were robbed,” says Eliza drily.
Maybe Brett is a secret plant for Weber? BRB, we’re just popping off to add this win to the conspiracy list…
The Block on Nine and 9Now – airs at the special time of Monday to Thursday 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
