It’s back, and it’s bigger and more MasterChef than even before. 8 teams. 4 houses (as opposed to a single block of flats). In Melbourne. Some eliminations. Challenges. A warehouse. A new timeslot. Shelley Craft. Need we say any more? Oh look – a promo:
It’s actually quite smart of Channel 9 to get the jump on this, as The Renovators from Channel 10 will lead out of MasterChef and work a similar format. Establishing itself early will be key, as will the new format and timeslot. How fans of the show respond to the severely altered format and timeslot will be important too. For me, I think it looks glitzy and exciting enough to tune in for 5 nights a week. Just stop it with the Taio Cruz song, PLEASE. From the press release:
8 couples, 4 eliminations, 4 dilapidated houses, 1 winner.
The Block is back, bigger, harder and more competitive than ever ā because this time, teams will renovate not an apartment but an entire house.
And the extra-extra twist this year is that there are four houses ā but eight teams from across Australia who want to move in.
Scott Cam returns to host The Block 2011, with real estate guru John McGrath and Belle Magazine Editor-in-Chief Neale Whitaker back to scrutinise the renovating and designing efforts from this yearās couples. They will be joined by Challenge Master Shelley Craft, who will put the couples through their paces in a series of exciting, renovation-based cash and prize-winning challenges.
The new series of Australiaās biggest property reality program begins with eight determined couples competing in a tense 24-hour, do-or-die Elimination Challenge to see who makes it through to the major thrill ride: the full property renovation. They are:
ā¢ Newlyweds Chris and Carrie (both 27) from Sydney, NSW
ā¢ Childhood sweethearts Tania (39) and Rod (38) from Warragul, VIC
ā¢ Lovebirds Jenna (23) and Josh (24) from Melbourne, VIC
ā¢ Husband and wife Chrissy (30) and Toby (32) from the Sunshine Coast, QLD
ā¢ Tradie and his lady Aaron (27) and Shannon (31) from Perth, WA
ā¢ City girl Polly (24) and country boy Waz (27) from Sydney, NSW
ā¢ Sisters Katrina (33) and Amie (31) from Wagga Wagga and Albury, NSW
ā¢ Twins Laura and Emily (25) from Melbourne, VICWith little more than what theyāre wearing, the final four will be taken out of their comfort zones and dropped into a frantic eight-week contest to renovate dilapidated houses in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond. Once thought of as downmarket and seedy, Richmond has undergone a renaissance in recent decades with families and young professionals moving in and reinvigorating the district.
The pattern for The Block is familiar to audiences the world over. Equal budgets, this year a record $100,000, are given to all four couples, but then theyāre on their own. They sink or swim according to their own abilities in creativity, design, planning, budgeting, execution and selling.
In the famous tradition of The Block, each couple will get to keep the profit from the auction of their own property. And after the last auctioneerās gavel goes down the couple whose property makes the most over reserve wins an additional $100,000. The Block 2010 gave away more than $500,000 in prizemoney, with winners John and Neisha taking home a whopping $305,000.
The Block 2011 – Weeknights at 7pm from 20/06, Ch9.
I think the fact it is becoming Masterblock is the main reason I won’t be tuning in this season. I might just be the only reality tv fan who detests Masterchef and the ilk. Very disappointed.
! I’m a Block junky and the more Block the better – bring on 5 nights a week.
I have watched every year the block has been on and just love it, i think it is the best reality TV show that has ever been on.
will the block come out on dvd and it is a good show
Lachlan, it likely will, but not until the series is complete. Yes, it’s a great show.
Your absolute bogan, bogan,bogan portayal of all contestants being capable of no more than a verbal OMG, ‘oh my God’, is just so disgusting and naive on your behalf. Ok , Scotty Cam is the’ blunt knife’ in the kitchen drawer, but WhyTF are you just so devoid of any creativety in ordering contestants to talk like anti Jesus Christ fucking morons? Guys, there are Christians out there in greater numbers than you realise, tidy up yout crap vocab before you get started. OMG=IQ<80, but hey, maybe that's your target audience!
I missed tonight’s episode. Do you have a replay on another channel?
Channel 9 run a replay of the previous night’s episode the following day at either 3pm on Ch9 or 4pm on GEM.
I think they should have a jnr The block, just like master cheif, it would be great for us little kids. š
yeh they should have a junior block,it would be great!!:D:D
The little block from like 8 – 14 (:
Oh that would be sooooooo cool if they had a jnr block I would love to participate in that it would be sooooooo much fun for us little kids what a great idea CaitlinBish.
This show is the worst, surely this could not be classed as entertainment!
wow, i looooooooooooooooooove the block.
I like all previous The Block shows, but this one Scott has become too repetitive that is becoming annyoing. Fillers of images previously shown or comments already made are making me desilusioned.
PLEASE get on with the renovations all this rubbish like tonights show. is painful. I have always loved these programs. walked away tongiht.. Boring!
Tonight’s episode was cool as I really liked it the block is awesome.
What on earth was the point of this silly program…
This season of the Block has been absolutely ruined. New format is terrible. Challenges are worse. They draw out literally everything to the point where I want to throw things at the TV, and dispite more hours per week, we end up seeing less renovations (isn’t that the basic premise of the show??).
Don’t get me wrong – I’m a huge fan of the Block (the early seasons, that is). But they’ve completely destroyed this season to the point where I don’t feel like tuning in anymore!!
I agree! The Block 2011 is the lamest ever. We are not involved with the building process.The walls,floors, etc just appear like sets done backstage,while it is all about the contestants squabbling over the most inane things and looking fresh & spotless.Everything looks fake. There is no pace or excitement and sadly, little Design evident whatsoever. Lost the plot.
I think it is the best tv show ever!
Over the years I have enjoyed watching the block and have looked forward to seeing the 2011 instalment.
Unfortunately the format has been changed to something that resembles PlaySchool. it’s like watching paint dry. Dreary contestants with no idea about renovation or design. Endless replays, stupid singing and mind-dumbing ads. Where’s the renovation?
I for one will be turning this rubbish off.
How sad this has happened..Like you Hugh I have watched this show as I have renovated sweverak homes of my own.. Playschool does come to mind…What was that rubbish with those drawers.
Good Grief….. several homes too lol,
I really like the block and it’s the best show ever and I have a really good idea for 2012 let them redo hotels.
I am so over this season of the Block. The new format is terrible. Who cares about stupid challenges?? I want to see renovating and design and there is precious little of that this year. Hate it. Boring and so drawn out it’s frustrating. I can’t stand this and won’t be tuning in anymore. Loved The Block in previous years but the new format has ruined the show.
agreed
I tuned into watch ‘The Block’ this week, first time I had a chance to watch it, and was so dissapointed, I Just have one question! Where is the info about the renovations? (What they did? How they did it? ) All the show went on about was the drama between couples and I felt like I had tuned into another ‘Big brother’ episode. Who came up with this format? Love The Block but will not be watching again if the format stays………WOULD PREFER TO HEAR AND SEE MORE ABOUT THE RENOVATIONS, ( HOW/ WHY/ WHEN ) after all isn’t this what the show is suppose to be about???????? We are in the middle of renovations ourselves and I thought this show would have given me some idea’s on renovations But alas No.
i love the block and i actually flue down to see what the block really looks like amazing:)
say no more maybe you need spelling lesson, this is the type of people watching the show
I am a 12 year old boy that watches the block every night i think its a pretty good show but tonight when i was watching the block i realised that the plumbing challenge used a lot of water. I learnt in school that we Victorians have water restrictions to abide and that we are supposed be looking after our water supply. Our government advertises this all the time. if it is good enough for the Victorian people to follow this rule what makes your show ‘The Block’ so irresponsible in sending our fresh water down the drain. i fell the produces and contestants too are very irresponsible and all should take care in protecting all our natural resources. i am beginning to think this show is very non-caring and irresponsible.
agreed, this of the resources being wasted and the starving and homeless people in the world that could benefit from money that is being wasted on stupid shows.. Heres an idea for a reality show, get groups of people to go to poor communities and work for 10 weeks helping people rebuild their lives, that would be a challenge.
I think the Block is such a waste of money, what happened to them actually doing the work????? They are too busy with getting their nails done and doing challenges. And the plumbing challenge what a waste of water. It is so over the top whilst people starve or are homeless in our country we waste money on this crap and turn these people into celebrities. The 3 older women are absolute pains in the rear end and our sheet metal work – get over the fact you are crap and the young plumber is better that you. Can’t stand the sisters and their voices.
Another huge difference is that for the first time, this years contestants do not have to renovate on top of keeping their day jobs.They have twice the time available to complete the challenges and all their energy is conserved for the competition. Yet instead with more production time, we have seen less imput coming from them.I read that there is to be a Block 2012. Please get rid of the inane challenges & return to the old formula.
who goes to work at their day jobs? Oh do you mean the painful sisters getting their hair done or shopping for shoes?
I loved last year’s Block and looked forward to the once a week show. But The Block 2011 is not the same and I don’t like it. It’s on and the wrong time and I watch Master Chef and The Block has gone over the 7.30 timeslot. The half hour shows are boring and I want to see actual work being done. Once a week would have been better rather than dragging out useless stuff that they do on the show. This year’s show has turned my off The Block for good.
With the amount of waste these people throw away in their skips, I could finish the rest of my house renovations!! I am astonished with the budgets that these people have to finish one room, little only a whole house. There needs to be far more creativity between all houses and each of the rooms are little more than department store dressing. It is a shame really, because we teach our students how to conserve money, resources and how to save water, and yet in this show we see lots of waste. I would like to see how they could build and create rooms on a budget say $3,000 from nothing to finish – a realistic goal for those people that are also renovating their own homes on a tight budget and demonstrate how someone can achieve this. I have done so with a very large laundry made for a disabled person. It is not so hard to do, from having chippies to erect walls, to plumbing and new special doors to be installed, this was my final cost, including washing machine and drying facilities. It just took a little creativity and tradies that were willing to have a go.
This years series is just not the same. There is only one couple that has shown any design talent and they have won every challenge. The others sadly have come in well below average, there room designs have been a bit out of wack design and colour wise . All these couples seem like nice people and the series makers should give them all a fare go and make it a level playing field and help the ones that are struggling. Who ever allowed a plumber to be a contestant on the series and then have a water plumbing challenge? It made me think this series could be rigged or maybe the result has all been pre-determined. Back to Masterchef for me!!!
I LOVE THE BLOCK!!! its my fave show on tv and i think a block Jr would be even better if they had one š
When will the block finish?
I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the show. Jenna is a pain in the rear end. She is snooty and bossy. She very obviously does not deal well with stress as she is continuously nagging and berating poor Josh. The poor sisters who had the unenviable task of taking money from the other contestants chose well and made a very wise choice. Of course Jenna thought otherwise and took it personally. Interested to know what she would have done especially with the knowledge taking money from a couple who were really struggling would have sent them home. Need to get on with the building and make the contestants actually do some work and not just shop to dress the rooms at the end. It is a renovating show NOT a room dressing show. Tania and Rob are doing it correctly in the true spirit of the show. DOING THE WORK THEMSELVES.
Ray, I agree with your comments completely. Jenna is a bossy boots. Tania and Rob are the best and doing the work themselves in the true spirit of the show. Jennifer
Disgraceful television..!! Can’t believe I get voted out and can’t watch the project instead..!! If I was that interested in this rubbish I would get a job at bunnings..!! The only highlight were the twins with the big puppies… But then again what would I know..!!
I’m watching it in NZ so a few episodes behind. So far I think that the new format is terrible. Do we ever get to see people renovating and doing designs? Should I keep watching? I loathe the challenges. The one where they all hunted for little red houses in shops was utterly pointless…
I think Josh and Jenna have too much to say. I could not believe it when he argued with the site manager about moving the sheets, he should have done it wihtout question. Also their comments regarding the money, they were lucky to not have all $3,000 taken off them, considering their ten grand win. They need to be a little more humble.
Totally agree with Jennifer. By the time Josh had finished arguing he could have moved the sheets. He caused a lot of angst for nothing except looking like an idiot and getting the site manager off side. They need to get over themselves. Jenna keeps talking about their quirky style. The bed side hanging lights they are planing this week are a rip off of the sisters lights from week 1.
I felt that the $3,000 win for the sisters was a little hollow as Scott did not have the money in his budget to start with. It came across as a little cruel and nasty, to tell you the truth. Scott would have known that these designers were having money problems. It turned me off and I will, no longer, be watching the Block. š
I dont usually watch the block & is it any wonder with clows like Josh on the program. Better still I never thought I would feel the urge to write somthing on a post like this.
I was in a position I had to watch the program when the idiot (Josh) back chatted his site foreman, if on my job you would be gone. Goodluck when you get back out in the real world buddy hope you have broad shoulders because you will cop heaps, you made a rite wanker out of yourself.
You obviously cant look at a plan & put some thought into your processes, its easy to blame someone else, take responsibility for you own space.
Josh you are the reason decent tradies get a bad name, 22 years as a Plumber & for the first time I can say im embarrassed, your a bloody disgrace to yourself, your partner & my industry.
Hope for your sake you never apply for a job with my company, landfill & you ,no real diffrence, both things can be used to fill voids.
Well this is the worst Block on record. The idea is to see the contesteants renovate them selves not pay tradies to do it all. Secondly the show is about skills and performance not stupid challenges which i might add definatlty show Scotty helping team one this week and not raising a finger for team two well we know he seems to favour Josh the mouth and Jenna the jelouse spitful piece who is so miffed when the whole thing isnt about HER my god what a let down this show has become. Well we are finished watching it now as im sick of games and not seeing the talents of the couples renovating which is what the show is all about. Not the bitchinhg and back biting of the Josh n Jenna show so pathetic n Scotty bow out from the games n helping your select couples. The only ones who are actualy doing anything is Rod n Tania they are hands on not like the sisters who spend most of there time shopping and in the beauty parlour. Give credit where its Due Scotty.
i was going for josh and jenna i loved their work until joshs disgraceful disrespect for the work site foreman i cant believe it it took 10 minutes to move those sheets and he had a 2 year old tantrum . the block should take off their bill the amount it was charged for the plumbers sitting around waiting to put the pipes in for the gas heater. the two sisters katrina and amy have done no physical work except paint shop decorate and be nasty they were going to stay in bed whilst their tradies did everything. All they do is whinge and complain and they even have time to get their hair done as well .Im so glad they never won that challenge as they said they could sit back and watch the twins paint which im quite sure they would have they wouldnt know what a decent hard days work is as obviously they have never done any heavy physical work in their lives.Polly and waz have employed tradies as well and they have done most of the work and if someone else wins a challenge all they do is whinge and complain. the way those sisters carried on about gettting the 2000 off josh and jenna was disgraceful , they said they needed it to pay tradies but in their night blog they said they went shopping and spent the lot. im going for tania and rod they are hard working have great design ideas have budgeted done most of the work themselves never whinge or complain and whatever needs to be done gets done with no complaints their not nasty or vendictive just bloody hard workers i hope you win rod and tania you deserve it
I am shaking my head here. This lazy ānot my jobā attitude is what gives Trades a bad name. OK. Ideally Josh would have moved the sheets the day before but he didnāt, so instead of waiting and waiting and bitching and moaning for him to do it for what, over 24 hours, the foreman could have got someone else to do it and dealt with Josh later. The buck stops with him. Or is it unthinkable that the Plumbers waiting to work could have done something really radical and MOVED THEM themselves. Is it just me that thinks that those Plumbers that were sitting around ājust waitingā to get paid for doing NOTHING well nothing accept disrespecting their client and charging them for doing NOTHING! With the old crap of āitās not my job mateā is ridiculous!!! Geeze guys, the lot of you grow up!
I’ve just watched Josh and Jenna and Polly and Woz share tonights win. The judges have let the growth of Polly and Woz impair their judging of that particular room. It was not an exciting or inspiring room. A kick in the guts to the other contestants if you ask me. I thought the rooms were being judged independently of other rooms not for the fact that the couple have improved?
– I smell something fishy…if a couple spend all of their money, kick them out and put another couple in to finish the job – don’t give sympathy winnings.
OH im so over Jenna shes such a stupid high maintenance upstart and cant help herself but to have a sook and a winge if it doesn’t go her way…….. even when they share a win with Polly and Waz she cant even pass a nice comment about the rooms that Polly and Waz had put alot of work into. she really needs to look in the mirror and take a long hard look at herself.
OMG, what a piece of work that Jenna is, talk about a sore looser, she is an even worse winner, just can’t say anything nice about anyone, not even Josh, man talk about high maintanence. I love watching the block but can’t tolerate that foul mouthed she devil any more, sorry channel 9 but you have lost this viewer.
Problem solved with this disgraceful show… Mandy, Chelsea & racheal watch the mind numbing “THE BLOCK”… and I take off to the bedroom to watch 2 episodes of ENTOURAGE… It’s genius..!! Just watched the episode where vinnie hooks up with a pornstar… The block 1/10… Entourage 9/10… Also have now discovered THE RENOVATORS… good grief..!! What has happened to Australian television… Disaster..!! Disclaimer: Mandy not the wife.. Has stated that COCKTAIL with Tom cruise was her favorite movie ever so not surprised she likes THE BLOCK..!!
Josh and Jenna’s bathroom was ok but would hate to have to clean it every day. It is bad enough having to keep a shower clean after using it but with that ensuite you would have to clean around the bath every day. I think it was a bad choice of bath for that small space and setting. It would have suited a much bigger room. Polly and Waz’s room reminded me of a teenage’s room. It just gave me that feeling and not of a parents/adults room. Liked the idea of Tanya and Rod’s to put a study nook but it certainly made the bedroom small. I would have picked the girls room this week as the stand out room. Never mind – who am I to judge. Agree with the sooky Jenna comments. She really is a nasty girl who only wants her own way and thinks only of herself.
If you put Scott Cam at the gate of a garbage dump with a tin collecting for the Salvos with his charisma he would get it filled in no time, THEREFORE, I think it was totally unfair for the teams 1 & 2, who were trailling in the market day badly, to reap the benefit of Scott running their chocolate wheel and drawing the crowd which donated enough money to totally lift the takings of these 2 teams, enough for them to win the help of their colleagues for 2 days. TOTALLY UNFAIR as teams 3 & 4 had gone to a lot of thought and trouble having the clown going around, having the microphone friend’s assistance etc etc and they truly deserved to win. IT WAS SCOTT CAM AS THE DRAWCARD WINNING THE CHALLENGE NOT THE COMPETITORS. THE WRONG TEAMS WERE AWARDED THE WIN.
I have never seen a house that has been built on the same day as the concrete stumps went in and they build the joists and the bearers on the same day That would go for 3 of the block houses but the will always escape me is the one on the end where once a house that burnt down and totally burnt the side off the house that now stands there the old owner just slapped new weather boards on it and a new roof on one side just to hide the burnt frame ….. Its just a case of the buyer beware …. Just look at how the paint is already pealing off the roof and how many paint runs are on the front fence and that should give you an idea of what crap these houses realy are …… and if your not convinced just look at the ceiling and count the joins and then think how much it will cost you to make this house livable
Finally ” the whinging,crying poor,won’t do any work themselves” sisters won a room prize for spending big, shopping & decorating! On second thought, cancel the latter. Two guest decorators designed the room anyway, got them discounts on the feature table and they really did bugger all! Tania and Rod should have come away with the extra point for exemplifying what The Block is all about – real hard work, improvement in design and good budgeting.
Does anyone know who Shelley Craft is dressed by in this season’s The Block? Love what she is wearing.
Jenna and Josh are driving me nuts. They may have interesting and innovative design skills but they definitely seem to be acting well below their age when it comes to handling the stress. I don’t think they will be all that happy with how they are portrayed once they are back in the real world and having to deal with the consequences of their bratty behaviour. Who’d employ Josh now? And Jenna, what a precious princess!!!! The other thing that amazes me is that no one seems to be thinking about the audience they will be selling to. It’s just about what they like. No offence to their interior design opinions but The Block has shown in the past that the most innovative designs don’t necessarily get the best price. It’s all about the practical aspects of living in the house… and in a depressed market, I would think most of these houses will have trouble selling for a decent profit. I guess time will tell!
Unfortunately the show seems to have been rigged to keep the sisters Ć”live’. They could not even build the dog house yet managed to get prize money to keep them in the show, their lounge was second, Tania and Rob’s was easily better, they run out of money because they have to hire trades to do everything for them (they shop), and the show is about renovating, which they don’t seem to do any of themselves.
What a disgrace!!! Channel 9 shame job. Do u really believe the australian viewers are that nieve? Your network would have without any doubt pocketed millions from these couples ” slave labour” ????? To see only one winner profit a mere $15000 what an absolute joke?????? As a viewer of the block for all four seasons i will NEVER watch the program again. Amie and Katrina sacrificed family time health and their heart and souls to recieve nothing, if I were those two I would sue for damages disgrace!!!!! And JOsh and Jenna just starting out trying to renovate a home of their own to be left with zero??????? Really u call this fantastic reality tv? Nightmare tv thats my new name for it fucking nightmare. Good luck for 2012 u will be needing it somehow!!!!!!!!!! Whoever decided to set those ridiculous reserve prices well over Richmonds market prices deserves a good smack in the u know where!!!!!!!!!
OMG! you guys should make ‘THE BLOCK JUNIOR’
SO COOL!
If you do I would so like to be in it!
Please make it in Melbourne because I live here & I am 12 years old turning 13 in March!
I would also like to include some of my friends, so make it groups of 5 or 4!
IT IS SUCH A GREAT IDEA YOU SHOULD DO IT!
E-MAIL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
[e-mail address removed by Site Admin for safety purposes.]
Congratulations to Josh and Jenna.I hope Josh,Jenna,Katrina and Amie Rod and Tanya end up with heaps more money when their houses sell.Amie and Katrina you did well and love your house.You never gave up and that makes you more special.Dont worry what some people say you both did a great job and I challenge those you dont think that to do what you two did.Tania and Rod,Josh and Jenna Polly and Waz,Aimie and Katrina you all did a great job and all the homes are beautiful you should all be proud.Never give up,take it from the sisters.You will all win in the end.
I have followed a number of series of The Block but won’t bother in future. It seems the competitors now are no more than amateur interior decorators and game show participants. Previously, contentestants played a much larger role in the actual construction of the buildings but that has given way to ordering tradespeople around and choosing drapes, furnishings and floral decoration. Their buliding abilities were shown in the competition to weather-board and roof the garden sheds. the two sisters hardly new which end of the hammer to hold, so to speak. My brother, who was an avid fan of the show previously, turned off after about the third night. Here in new Zealand,thankfully, tonight is the last night and we can can get on with the serious matter of winning the Rugby World Cup.
David – Auckland.