’s milestone twentieth season kicked off on Monday night with five brand new couples beginning to renovate run-down properties into luxurious holiday homes. While each season of the Channel Nine reality series has been described as “The Biggest Block Ever”, this year will feature one of the most dramatic storylines in the history of the show. Monday night’s episode teased that one of this year’s couples will leave the competition partway through filming - similar to Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull in 2022, although they left after just 48 hours.
Viewers were told they’d have to wait and see which of the five teams calls it quits, however, the contestants' identities have already been leaked. We revealed in April that the Blue Team’s Jesse and Paige decided to pull the pin six weeks into filming as they buckled under the stress of the high-pressure environment. A production insider told that “everyone was left gobsmacked when the Western Australian team fled Phillip Island”, and Channel Nine scrambled to find a replacement team.
“Producers felt blindsided by their decision to quit. It certainly wasn't on their bingo card when they cast the season,” the insider added. “This was supposed to be the wholesome, back-to-basics season of which viewers had been crying out for.
” It’s also been revealed that sisters Maddy and Charlotte from NSW replaced Jesse and Paige when they decided to quit, and were given just 24 hours' notice to jump in and finish the job. While they may be the youngest contestants this season, the dynamic duo have plenty of renovation experience under their belt after previously transforming a 1950s weatherboard cottage. ’s executive producer Julian Cress recently shared details about the upcoming storyline and revealed how production dealt with the team’s shock departure.
“We didn’t make it through the whole series with all five teams. We had to replace one of them along the way, which was a very dramatic moment,” he told last week. “It was a very difficult decision for them to come to, but there was a very strong reason why they decided to do it and very dramatic and will be unfolding in the coming weeks.
” Julian, who co-created the series in 2003 alongside David Barbour, went on to say that the show’s producers didn’t try and force the team to stay in the competition because “it’s impossible to tell somebody to do ”. “If you even take your eye off the ball on for a day, you get your arse handed to you. Nobody can do it unless they’re 100% committed to the task at hand,” he continued.
“I’m not saying these people left because they were lazy. They wanted to do it, but it just became enormously challenging at some point and their reasons for leaving are pretty remarkable. I think it will start a very interesting conversation amongst the audience.
” Hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft are back this season while real estate director alongside Shaynna Blaze and Darren Whitaker. Dan Reilly has also become the show’s sole foreman as wasn’t able to make the move to Phillip Island, although both Neale and Keith are expected to make guest appearances. were the winners of the 2023 season of The Block after their stunning home sold for a history-making $5,000,000.
Their reserve was $3.350 million which gave the couple a profit of $1.65 million plus $100,000 prize money taking them to $1.
75 million in winnings. The pair now run their own business - Japandi Estate. kicks off at 7:30 pm on Monday, August 12th on Channel Nine.
The show will air on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the 2024 season..
