The Block on Channel 9 –Welcome fellow Block lovers, to a special Monday night Room Reveal!
That’s right, we’ve waited a whole extra night to see Leah confront Kristy (go footy) and finally, here we are.
We also have those ensuite bathrooms to be revealed too – if anyone finally got around to doing them – and a judging result that leads to quite possibly the most awkward situation ever.
We say it every week lately, but this really has been one enormously dramatic time, so let’s get stuck straight in.
Almost a week has passed since the showdown at judging between Kristy and Eliza. Kristy was salty when the sisters beat them by half a point (not counting the gnome bonus point), calling the whole thing “a joke”. She’s of the firm opinion the girls get special treatment, which contributed to their win.
Eliza and Liberty were finally fed up with the snide comments and went head-to-head with Kristy in a blazing row that’s resulted in multiple ripped effects and problems throughout the entire site.
Time has gone by since the argument, but nothing will heal the relationship between Houses 3 and 5. “We have not uttered a word to Kristy and Brett,” Liberty confirms. “They’re never gonna apologise so there’s just no point.”
The pair pragmatically concede that they’re in a ‘Block bubble’ and “it’s no surprise that drama escalates.”
…and let’s begin some escalation.
In House 2, Leah is saddling up her moral high horse, primed to ride it all the way next door.
She’s determined it’s her duty as a pal to tell Kristy that she’s been not very nice to others.
“I have had a chance this week to come to the realisation this week that words are hurting and jokes are going too far,” Leah says passionately. “I have really noticed a level of inappropriateness.”
This comes on the back of Leah being on the receiving end of Kristy’s wrath. She angrily confronted Leah late one night, demanding to know why she was spending time with the girls. Leah was rattled by the whole exchange.
“We’re really guilty by association at this point,” Leah says. “It started to make me think, ‘God… is this friendship the right one?'”
Leah’s thinking of her kids and pondering if she was simply swept up in the friendship in order to distract herself from missing them.
“I think we got really overtaken by [Kristy and Brett] and their strong personalities,” she says. “We became people that we’re just not.”
But she concedes she could have done better, and didn’t push back on opinions she disagreed with.
Leah is eager to welcome Kristy and Brett up on the same moral high ground she is now on. With Ash by her side, she heads to House 3 to talk to Kristy, with the hope her friend will have “an epiphany moment.”
Or as she puts it: “It’s really me going over there, going, ‘hey, you’re a sh-t person.'”
This should go well.
Spotting the camera crew in tow, Kristy is immediately sceptical about Leah’s motives.
But Leah charges straight in. She challenges Kristy as to why she was so “livid” that she was at Eliza and Liberty’s house earlier in the week. “You then go to Ash and you say, ‘Your wife is dead to me,'” Leah recounts.
Kristy remains ominously silent as Leah continues to explain their jokes have crossed the line and people are upset about them. “It doesn’t go well with how I would even live my life and all my values,” Leah says, and a very small smile creeps across Kristy’s face.
Leah explains she’s done some massive self–reflection and realised she has been saying things behind people’s backs that she would never dream of saying to their faces. “It is just not me,” she stresses.
Kristy has heard enough. When Leah says she should have shut things down, Kristy calmly states she could say the same in reverse.
“Go and say all of the stuff that you’ve said about Steph to her face!” she challenges Leah.
“Maybe I should have called you out when you were doing it to Steph and I didn’t. And I didn’t, because I wanted you to be you.”
Kristy counters that she always applied context and defended Leah. “I guess that’s the difference between you and I,” she says. “Me, as a person, I know that I’ve got your back,” she says.
She’s now clearly upset.
“This has really thrown me,” she tells Leah. “This is a different person right now.”
Leah tries to explain the jokes she made were all just petty and Kristy quickly interjects, asking why she can dismiss her actions as ‘petty’ but put such weight in what she and Brett are doing.
But when Leah raises House 5, Kristy snaps. She does not want to discuss the sisters. “I’m actually sick of it!” she says.
Leah notes the anger Kristy is showing is what she’s talking about and she hadn’t liked it when it was directed her way. “And now I know how everyone else is feeling,” she says.
“Sometimes your behaviour can be really inappropriate, 100%,” Leah adds.
“Youse are our people,” Brett tells the couple, adding he and Kristy don’t open up to anyone else. He explains he felt Leah and Ash do truly know who they are as people.
“Clearly not,” Kristy notes wryly.
“I did look at this like a genuine friendship,” Brett tells Leah, clearly hurt.
“This is a genuine friendship,” she responds.
“But now, it just feels smeared,” Brett explains.
He adds he felt Leah confronted them with cameras in tow so she could attempt to ‘clear her name’. He thinks it was disrespectful to their bond to have not had the chat privately.
“Conversation is already had,” Kristy interjects. “Damage is already done.”
Leah delivers an ultimatum. She explains that if the pair can’t express any sort of remorse for how they spoke to the girls after judging, she won’t be comfortable in an ongoing friendship.
But Kristy and Brett see no need for apologies. They don’t have a relationship with the sisters and they’re fine with that. “They don’t interest me,” Brett says. “[Leah] wants us to mend something that was never there to begin with.”
Kristy has heard enough and she’s now “actually starting to get offended.”
“I’m not apologising for the conversation that Eliza and I had,” she says firmly.
Sitting alongside Brett later, Kristy tells the producer, “Leah is putting everything and all of her actions that she’s been a part of for the last eight weeks on us.”
Brett agrees. “She’s caused plenty of problems herself.”
“You know how arrogant you’ve got to be to think your way is the only way people should operate?” Brett muses. “Pull your head out [of] your arse.”
“I ain’t getting ultimatums from no one,” Kristy says firmly. “Especially someone that I’ve known for f–king two minutes! Full stop. Period.”
Brett notes Leah and Ash run a business and possibly had intentions to maximise their opportunities after the show.
“I think she’s looking at big picture now and she doesn’t want to be projected as ‘the mean girl’,” Brett says.
But when Leah and Ash are asked by their own producer if they are merely trying to clear their name, they’re adamant that isn’t their motivation. “We were trying to be who we are,” Ash says. “If you’re not clear, now you are. You clear? Good.”
Leah weeps as she admits she knows Kristy would feel “betrayed”.
“But I was a bad friend if I didn’t say anything and I was a bad friend if I did,” she says, wiping away tears.
Ash concedes the relationship with House 3 is probably over. “I love you babe,” he consoles Leah. “I’m still your friend.”
In her own house, Kristy is still stunned by the confrontation. When a producer asks if the friendship is now lost, she’s quick to reply.
“I wouldn’t say it’s really a loss.”
Maybe we should try renovating some bathrooms for a change of pace?
This week, the Domain Listings and Buyers Jury challenge majorly distracted our teams from actually renovating their homes, so we’re amazed when we see some pretty spectacular ensuites getting whipped into shape.
House 5 have a small issue on their hands because someone – and we’re not naming names – has actually used the ensuite and it smells revolting. “The stench!” Eliza yelps.
They light some candles and finally, it’s ‘tool’s down’ and we head to HQ for judging.
House 1 – Kyle and Leslie
It’s been weeks since Kyle and Leslie had a merry run at judging and they’re hoping the ensuite they spent $25,969 cash on will earn the judges’ respect.
They adore the balance and symmetry and the way they’ve used arched walls instead of a shower screen. Shaynna Blaze thinks the space is elegant and luxurious. However, once again the two are panned for functionality issues. There isn’t enough storage, they don’t love the orientation of the toilet and the shower is too “pokey”.
“It feels and looks luxurious but it doesn’t work,” Shaynna says. “Spatial planning is their weakness,” Darren Palmer adds.
House 2 – Leah and Ash
The couple spent $26,014 cash on their space. The huge shower is striking and the judges marvel at the tiling. “It’s stunning,” Shaynna enthuses.
But is it too big? “Are you selling it to a swingers club?” she ponders. Leah questions just what underlying thoughts led to that comment, as the three judges stand in the shower together.
“In what planet would you think that is a swingers bathroom?” she adds, suggesting instead it’s a perfect nook for two loving and consensual homeowners.
There’s a lot of elegance in the space but Shaynna thinks the styling is too childish.
“It does drag down the finesse,” agrees Darren.
House 3 – Kristy and Brett
The two spent $31,609 on their sleek bathroom space, and particularly focused on making it functional and appealing.
The consistent, clever and luxe feel lands the pair copious praise and Marty Fox explains it will certainly appeal to a buyer. 
(While looking at their towel rails, Darren also admits he showers three times a day, which is very random but we thought it deserved a mention.)
House 4 – Steph and Gian
It becomes quickly apparent that Marty does not like House 4’s ensuite.
“I feel like I’m in some sort of quarantine facility,” he says bluntly. That’s despite the couple spending $31,753 cash on it.
He questions the layout, the execution and the styling. ”This isn’t the time to make errors this big.”
“I want to know where he quarantined,” Gian muses.
Darren however, loves the exterior wall cladding the couple featured on their interior walls. He notes the texture gives the room a soft feel and he adores the marble vanity top. He also suggests a few tweaks to lift the execution and address Marty’s concerns.
Listening on, Steph accepts his advice and admits the Domain Challenge had dominated her focus this week. 
House 5 – Eliza and Liberty
The girls splashed $29,662 on their ensuite, which Marty deems “spectacular.”
The judges are enamoured with the floor plan and tiles and express the space feels very ‘resolved’.
The space is declared perfectly laid out and the styling is also commended for it’s classic simplicity.
“They’re hitting their strides at the right time,” Marty gushes, adding they are now contenders to win The Block. “This bathroom warms your soul.”
And the verdict is…
As the scores start landing, it becomes clear that it’s between Kristy and Brett and Eliza and Liberty. It’s a flashback of last week… only this time, there are no more secret gnomes to be played.
And in what is a supremely awkward moment… we have a tie between the Montagues and Capulets.
We’ve never seen two teams so thrilled about a win.
“Such a wonderful win,” Eliza manages, through gritted teeth.
It’s also Kristy and Brett’s long–awaited first room win. “First official win that hasn’t been stolen,” says Brett. He jokes that he asked the girls if they had another gnome up their sleeve, and Kristy adds the comment went down “like a lead balloon.”
Scott declares they can each get $10,000, instead of splitting it (and we wonder if this will go on the conspiracy list?)
And they all get to zip off on an overnight trip to Scotty’s Camelot house from last season’s Gisborne renovation.
The reactions from the other contestants when they hear this news is priceless. 
“Being around them makes my skin crawl,” Eliza admits. 
But Kristy finds it extremely amusing to imagine just how much the whole trip will mess with Leah’s head. 
“I dare you to think of something more awkward,” Eliza chokes.
“I think it’s actually hilarious,” Kristy says.
The final scores are:
House 1:Â Kyle and Leslie – 22.5
House 2: Leah and Ash – 23.5
House 3: Kristy and Brett – 28
House 4:Â Steph and Gian – 21
House 5: Eliza and Liberty – 28
Only one question remains. When the dust settles, who will be with the Montagues and who will be with the Capulets… and will any love remain?
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
