When Perth pair Ronnie and Georgia Caceres up to compete on The Block they were ready for renovating and hard yakka.
But they weren’t expecting to encounter animosity from their fellow contestants.
Since this season began, Ronnie and Georgia have rubbed up their fellow teams the wrong way with their strong, competitive focus.
There have been fights over crane access, exclusions, accusations of cheating, and far too many tears.
Ronnie and Georgia tell TV WEEK they knew they weren’t well-liked during filming. But watching the series has been eye-opening for the married couple.
“We knew we were hated from the start, but we didn’t know to what lengths,” plasterer Ronnie, 41, reveals.
“It’s hard seeing what Sticks and Wombat, and Josh and Elyse were saying about us – it was harsh. It’s like, ‘Where does this come from?’”
Ronnie and Georgia know they aren’t well-liked on the show.
For Ronnie, some of the comments Josh and Elyse made have been a shock.
“The hatred they have towards us is absolutely astronomical,” he says.
However, Ronnie maintains he and Georgia were upfront and honest about their goal from day one – they were there to win the show. They have never been focused on making friends.
“We were there to renovate a house – there was nothing wrong with that,” he says.
“It’s one of Australia’s biggest reality TV shows and competitions. There’s a lot of money at stake, and they took us the wrong way.”
Ronnie and Georgia say they were shocked at some of the things Josh and Elyse have said about them.
Ronnie adds that, while it’s been tough at times watching the series, the couple remain encouraged by their close family and friends.
“We have a great support team,” he says. “Everyone says, ‘You’re the same off-camera as you are on-camera. You haven’t changed one bit.’
“Whereas, watching it back, I feel Hannah and Clint were sitting on the fence and haven’t really been themselves.”
Ronnie says he and Georgia have avoided social media site Facebook so as not to see negative comments. But the couple has been buoyed by their Instagram community.
“The people who follow us on Instagram have a real interest in renovating,” the handyman explains.
“The number of private messages Georgia gets about styling or what she’s wearing has been remarkable – it’s been incredible.”
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