It’s only early days on The Block but Shaynna Blaze has already set her fiery sights on two Blockheads – Luke and Jasmin.
And while the Perth couple knew very well what they were getting themselves in for with the notoriously picky judge, Shaynna’s feedback has kickstarted some heated tension between the famed designer and the couple, in particular with Jasmin.
On Sunday night’s first room reveal, Shaynna, 57, struggles to find the nod to the couple’s chosen 1910s era in Luke and Jasmin’s guest bedroom – and Jasmin takes offence to the veteran judge’s harsh comments.
“I think this is a crying shame,” says Shaynna. “This is the most irrelevant room we’ve seen today.”
Jasmin takes offence to the veteran judge’s harsh comments.
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FAILED TO IMPRESS
While fellow judges Darren Palmer, 42, and Neale Whitaker, 58, manage to find some positives in the couple’s room design, Shaynna isn’t having a bar of it and convinces the boys to score it lower.
“The shutters, the wardrobe and the doors, tick, amazing, gorgeous, the rest – goodbye,” the judge says flatly.
Talking to Woman’s Day, Luke and Jasmin believe they were targeted unfairly.
“It was so harsh being the first week,” says Jasmin, 36. “Especially when we’ve been given no real indication of what to do.”
“I couldn’t believe it, she just went to town,” Luke, 35, adds.
“I think we were made an example off.”
The couple said they were also confused by Shaynna’s comments about why they didn’t choose to capitalise on some of the more Edwardian features in the room.
“We went back into the room and the features she was referring to just weren’t there!” says Luke.
Adds Jasmin, “We were so confused with that comment.”
While they’re both rocked by Shaynna’s feedback, it’s teacher Jasmin who takes it most to heart. She cheekily claps back at the designer, saying she just isn’t on the same page as her “style wise”.
“She just isn’t our biggest fan and I don’t want to bash her or anything but her style and our style are just not compatible.”
While Jasmin has taken the feedback onboard, she still plans to go ahead with her own vision, teasing that she has “a couple of run-ins with Shaynna” in the coming weeks.
Daniel’s secret family tragedy
Just as they are finding their feet on the show, South Australia’s Daniel and Jade are given the devastating news that Daniel’s grandfather has died.
Talking to Woman’s Day, farmer Daniel reveals the moment he received the phone call from his dad.
“It was absolutely devastating [even] though I knew he’d been crook for a while… he told me as we were leaving [for the show], ‘I’ll be here when you get back’,” Daniel, 35, reveals.
“One side of me thinks I should have stayed close to him, but he would have wanted me to be on The Block – he was so excited for me,” he adds.
The couple flew home immediately to be with Daniel’s family, which made him realise what a giant hole his grandfather has left behind.
“He taught me everything I know about farming,” he says.
“I think most of us are still struggling with the fact that he’s just not there any more.”
Returning to The Block shortly after, Daniel and Jade, 34, received a giant bunch of flowers from their fellow contestants and the production team.
“It was very special. We instantly made a family there, and it felt like we were home even though we weren’t,” he says.
Darren’s reality star past
While he’s known for his quick quips and attention to detail during his room critiques, experienced designer and The Block judge Darren has one special thing in common with the Blockheads – he also appeared on a reality TV show.
The interior designer starred in Nine’s homeMADE in 2009, which followed budding designers as they raced to renovate two homes in five days.
Interestingly, his Block colleague Neale was one of the judges on the show, who eventually picked Darren as the show’s runner-up.
Darren was once on Nine’s homeMADE.
(Nine)