After an explosive first week, Woman’s Day digs deep to separate fact from fiction on The Block.
BOGUS RUBBISH
Lots of eagle-eyed viewers seemed to think there was no way they transported the homes with so much rubble inside, including a waterlogged, broken-down bathtub in one of the rooms.
“House movers would not relocate a house with all that rubbish inside… Get real,” wrote one.
And others agreed it’s clear the show dresses the sets to make things look more worse for wear. “They’ve deliberately yucked up the houses,” tweeted one. “They wouldn’t have been transported like that.”
But Nine sources insist the houses came as they are presented and there was no sneaky set dressing to amp up the drama.
We have the inside scoop.
(Image: Nine)FAMILY FURORE
Some viewers slammed couples Rachel and Ryan, and Tom and Sarah-Jane for leaving their young families – including their one-year-old babies – to go on The Block.
“Am always amazed at these contestants that abandon their kids,” tweeted one viewer. Rachel, 36, admits it was a sacrifice, but one she was willing to make to help her family.
“Our biggest weakness is how badly we miss our kids… that can take over at times,” she says.
DIAL DOWN THE DRAMA
Some are criticising the reality show for once again focusing on the bust-ups rather than the build. “Wow, no time spent watching them complete their rooms? Must be shortening that to spend time on the drama,” tweeted one viewer.
But Rachel assures Woman’s Day it isn’t true this time around.
“I don’t think any season of The Block will have more drama than the cheating scandal [last year]… and I think Australia is happy with that,” she says. “What we have is five absolutely hilarious couples who give absolutely everything to their renovation and create the most incredible houses The Block has ever seen! Do we always get along? No. Do we always come back together and have a good time, absolutely!”
Sarah-Jane, 30, agrees that it’s more hard slog than scandal this season.
“Last year’s drama dragged on,” she says. “There’s no cheating scandal this year, it’s just fun hardworking people trying to give it a crack. It’s a lot more feelgood and focuses more on the build, which I like.”
WATCH: Scotty Cam to build his own house on The Block. Article continues after video
BATTLER BLUFFING
While Sarah-Jane claims she and husband Tom are your average Aussie battlers, viewers aren’t convinced.
“They’re all minted. What happened to giving a struggling couple a hand up? These guys don’t need the money,” snarked one watcher.
“I wish The Block would just go back to having average Australians on there. I prefer seeing how life-changing this show is for people,” added another.
“Bring back more people who are doing it because they need the headstart in life,” agreed a fellow fan.
But this year’s Blockheads insist that’s exactly what they’re there for.
Sarah-Jane tells Woman’s Day she and husband Tom, 34, would love to win so they could “put some money towards our mortgage and maybe a sneaky family holiday”, while Sharon, 34, says she and husband Ankur, 41, would also ditch some debt if they took out the top prize.
“Bring down that mortgage and assist us financially, help family and take some time off work and go on a long overdue holiday, even locally,” she says of their plan if they score the big prize.
Scott Cam slammed Elle and Joel for leaving The Block two days in.
(Image: Nine)PAID PERFORMERS
Many fans are convinced that the Elle and Joel shocking walkout was just a production stunt.
“Can’t help wondering if this was somehow engineered by Nine because the promos have relied so heavily on it,” said one viewer. “Joel and Elle leaving was a plot agreed to by the producers?
Remember they gaslit us for 12 weeks with Tanya and Vito and the producers knew all along,” added another, referring to last season’s cheating scandal.
But a Nine source tells Woman’s Day that the drama wasn’t manufactured. “The truth is we really wanted Joel and Elle to stay, but their minds were made up – they wanted out.”
Many fans are convinced that the Elle and Joel shocking walkout was just a production stunt.
(Image: Nine)BAD PLANNING?
Some fans have slammed the show for cramming the houses too close together, rather than making the most of the space. “I’m surprised with all the acreage that the houses are so close,” said one viewer.
“Maybe they didn’t read the rural property brief? Lovely homes set well back from the roadside that you enter via a long tree-lined driveway,” wrote another. “10 acres and neighbours on my doorstep. No thanks. Bad planning,” added one fan.
But an on-set spy tells Woman’s Day the camera is deceiving, and each home is a 10-minute walk away from the others.
