The Block on Channel 9 – We’re barrelling towards the end of The Block and as the houses are completed, the drama continues to erupt.
Clutch your extra strong McCafé coffees gang, you’re going to need them for this episode!
We all have our morning routines and as it turns out, Eliza’s involves a spot of planning while in the nude.
She’s established a solid way to dodge the morning cameras and that’s to lock the bathroom doors and bash out some work while naked.
The only catch? She can’t answer any FaceTimes.
“It’s been my secret weapon,” she laughs. Future Blockheads, take note!
She does finally manage to get dressed, and heads to the nursery to buy some plants for her yard… and push her tiny budget to breaking point in the process.
Down the road, Ash has woken up with swollen eyes and a broken heart. He is still reeling after learning of the shock death of his beloved dog, Ollie.
Getting his own morning caffeine fix, he admits he and Leah have yet to tell the kids what’s happened and are dreading breaking the news to their son.
The two are feeling emotionally drained, even though there are just a few days left of hard yakka.
They’re also hurt, because former best pals Kristy and Brett have yet to contact them about the sad news, and they also haven’t heard from Kyle and Leslie.
It seems Block wounds run deep.
Leah’s not even sure she wants to hear from either couple, pondering whether any sentiments shared would be genuine.
Kristy and Brett however, pass on heartfelt condolences to Ash in person. As fellow dog lovers, they know how hard the news would be to hear.
It’s time for Scott Cam and Shelley Craft to make their final walkarounds on The Block for this season. “Everything’s getting ticked off,” Shelley marvels, as she and Scotty peruse the extra rooms and front yards the different houses are completing.
It’s not just the spaces they’re interested in. Scott wastes no time in asking Kristy and Brett if they’ve heard about the gnome being sold.
The pair fill them in on what went down – namely, that House 1 sold their gnome to House 4 so they could get some funds and allow House 4 to have a crack at taking out this week’s win.
Brett concedes he too would have liked to have purchased the gnome. “I want the Mustang!” he admits.
Having lived through two body corporate meetings about it, we are well aware. 
It’s not the only rumour Scott’s curious about. He asks if the whispers are true and everyone did indeed get a Block tattoo. Kristy and Brett proudly show off their ink.
Shelley grins and asks Scott if they’ll join in and get a matching tattoo themselves.
“Series 20 next year… maybe,” Scott laughs. “On my butt.”
They head next door to check out Steph and Gian’s yard. “It stinks of money!” Scott quips, as he and Shelley take in their luxe front area.
Money that has also been spent on purchasing a gnome, of course.
Gian openly admits he stated he didn’t want to be part of any revenge scheme between Leslie and Leah. He explains Leslie assured him that she needed the cash to finish their house.
Of course, House 2 also have a gnome to play.
“All we’ve done is just even the playing field,” Steph says. “And basically, we’ve just counter-acted that gnome. So now, it’s whoever’s garden is better.”
They have a secret weapon of their own this week (and unlike Eliza’s, it does not involve nudity). They’re the only house installing solar panels, which they can afford to do thanks to their streak of wins and cash-boosting 10s.
Steph finishes by saying they’re simply putting themselves in the best position possible to win.
Eliza and Liberty would love to be in the same position. But it’s Friday and they’re still dealing with ongoing deck dramas. Their team has been fussing with it all week and at long last, it’s signed off.
“We’ve had a bit of a rough week this week,” Liberty tells Scott and Shelley. She also opens up about the struggle she and Eliza had, coming to terms with the harsh feedback from the judges after their backyard was critiqued.
Shelley reminds them just how much they’ve accomplished over the last 12 weeks. “Look at the difference between Week 1 and Week 11,” Scott adds.
Rallied by their kind words, Liberty hits Scotty up for his phone number. “Cross the road if you see me in the street,” he jokes.
Around the corner in House 1, Kyle and Leslie are eager for Scott and Shelley’s feedback on their low-budget space.
They’re second guessing the colour they’re painting their brick and Scott, Shelley and even Troy the landscaper offer up suggestions.
It’s the last big decision for the pair, who are feeling all the feels in the final hours… and are eager to make all the finishing touches.
The big emotions continue as Scott and Shelley visit Leah and Ash and immediately offer their apologies at their sad news. “Were dog people and we know what you’re feeling,” Scott says meaningfully.
The couple share the big plans they have for this week, including putting Silver Birch trees in their front yard, as a nod to the former owners.
They’re both feeling reflective about their time on The Block. “We’ve grown in more ways than one,” Leah says.
“Some unfortunate things happened,” Ash adds. “It is hard to find energy to get through but we’re just powering.
“We are nearly done.”
And in keeping with the theme of the day, they have a secret weapon too. They’ve organised a retro Mustang to reveal in their front yard this week, spinning merrily around on their driveway turntable.
With the finish line in sight, everyone is digging deep to complete all the last bits of their homes. For Kristy and Brett, that also includes the studio bathroom they failed to finish during Redo Week.
It’s a relief when it’s finally sorted and the bleary-eyed pair muster up the energy to give themselves a clap. “That bathroom was hard work,” Kristy admits.
They move onto their garage and Kristy dons some extraordinary shoes to walk seamlessly around her garage floor while sprinkling fleck to add some pizazz.
We’d quite fancy a pair of those on our next night out.
Spirits may be high for them, but next door they are very low for Leah.
She’s disgusted she has yet to hear any words of sympathy from Kyle and Leslie, or Kristy and Brett, adding that in her opinion, it’s indicative of their true character.
When Steph arrives to check in on the couple, she’s met with the full force of Leah’s angst about it all.
“I do not want to be in a single room with them, or with them,” Leah tells Steph, pointing in the direction of both neighbours’ homes. “This is truly it. … It is unfathomable.”
Even though Kristy and Brett spoke to Ash, Leah’s upset they didn’t also speak to her. (However, Kristy and Brett feel they asked Ash to pass their sentiments along.)
“I’ve raged about it, to be honest,” Leah says. “How are you that delusional that you can’t grasp what this is?”
Leah adds she can’t understand how the couples can’t shift focus from themselves to send their condolences… but at the same time, admits she doesn’t want to hear false words.
“I just cannot fathom the lack of empathy from them,” she says. “They are true, true poison.”
“It’s almost like… inhumane,” Ash adds.
“I’m beyond pissed off,” Leah fumes. “This is irreparable. The lack of empathy is sociopathic.”
Steph calmly notes that perhaps Leah should just focus on who is there for her, instead of who is not. But Leah is left unsure how to press ahead.
When Leah receives a text from Leslie a short time later, after she’s prompted by Steph, it offers little consolation.
“Absolutely gutless,” Leah says. “I just don’t have time for it.”
She’s right… because there’s one night to go and a whole heap of work to be done.
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
