The Blockheads are just past the halfway mark of the competition and the divide between the contestants will become more apparent this week.
In the wake of last week’s Poolgate saga, it doesn’t take long before the teams begin to conspire against one another to increase their chances of winning big on auction day.
The penthouse alliance is born – with Jess, Norm and former netballers Carla and Bianca facing off against the teams who are working on the Old Gatwick apartments downstairs.
“Jess and Norm were really supportive of us and vice-versa,” Bianca tells TV WEEK.
“You don’t often see contestants willing to help each other out, but we had the same approach and attitude. Like us, they’re very real and didn’t pretend to be something they’re not.”
“We also just wanted to enjoy ourselves and were always having a laugh. But it was a different atmosphere downstairs.”
It’s upstairs VS downstairs on The Block.
Bianca and Carla say they’ve since caught up with Jess and Norm at their Maroochydore home on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
“We’ve made friends for life,” Carla says.
Jess and Norm’s troubles began after their plans to install a pool ruffled feathers with contestants Hans and Courtney.
The teams, who originally had a close friendship with each other, later began to butt heads due to the ramifications the pool would have on Courtney and Han’s apartment – despite the couple originally giving Jess and Norm the thumbs up.
The clash made the couples doubt each other’s intentions.
“We gave them trades. We took them out for tea. Hans would borrow Norm’s tools,” Jess recalls. Hans and Courtney had been using us more than we’d been using them.”
In contrast, Courtney begged to differ.
“I think it was pretty even,” she says. “And I don’t think that you can really count favours, and say, ‘We’ve done so much, so you need to give us the pool.’ That’s a massive favour.”
The Block airs Monday to Wednesday at 7:30pm and Sundays at 7pm on Nine Network.
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