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The Block (Australian TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Block is an Australia
n reality television
show broadcast on the Nine Network
. The show sees four couples compete against each other to renovate a home and sell it at auction
for the highest price.
The series first ran for two consecutive seasons in 2003 and 2004, hosted by Jamie Durie
. The first season was filmed at Bondi
and the second at Manly
.
A third series commenced airing on 22 September 2010, it is hosted by Scott Cam
. The series would again be set in Sydney, taking place in the suburb of Vaucluse
.
A fourth series was ordered on 23 September 2010, one day after the first episode of series three aired.
The fourth season was filmed in the Melbourne
suburb of Richmond, Victoria
on Cameron Street. The season was set in four houses as opposed to an apartment block of four. The houses are all located side-by-side. This series premiered at 7pm on Monday 20 June, and aired at 7pm weeknights.
Channel 9 announced that The Block will be renewed for a fifth season, due to air in 2012. At this stage, it is unannounced whether season 4's format will be continued, or whether the show will revert back to the original structure. However like season 4, season 5 will also be set in Melbourne, on Dorcas Street in South Melbourne and will be in four double-storey terrace houses.
Two original contestants, Dani and Monique Bacha, left the program in January 2004, two weeks into the second series, when it was reported that Dani had spent six months in jail in 2002 following his conviction for a drug-related offence. Andrew Rochford
and Jamie Nicholson replaced Dani and Monique Bacha.
Eight couples were initially selected, with four being eliminated and the other four being given keys to the houses. The four remaining teams are:
Polly and Waz were the only couple whose property sold at auction, with the other three failing to meet their reserve prices. Following the auction, Amie and Katrina's property sold for their exact reserve amount, meaning they would not take any winnings from appearing on The Block. Also, Rod and Tania's property sold for the highest profit on The Block at $72,000 (however, as it was after the auction, Polly and Waz are still the winners).
with four double storey side by side terrace houses located at 401 - 407 Dorcas Street. The properties are all on separate titles with car access from Montague St and plans approved to allow for a third story extension.
The first and second series of The Block were both nominated for the Logie Award
for the "Most Popular Reality Program" at the 46th Annual
and the 47th Annual TV Week Logie Awards
held in 2004 and 2005 respectively. On both occasions it lost to Australian Idol
. Host Jamie Durie
was also nominated as the "Most Popular TV Presenter" as host of both The Block and Backyard Blitz
at the 46th Logie Awards. However, he lost to the Network Ten
variety talk show host, Rove McManus
.
The third series debuted with 1,134,000, a daily rank of 9. It lost to all its main timeslot competition consisting of Glee
on Network Ten
and Border Security
on Network Seven. However, it remained successful with key demographics and enjoyed steady ratings throughout the season. Series three concluded with 1.712 million viewers, and was the top program of the night in total people and all key demographics. It was also the second most-watched program of the week.
aired on ITV
in 2004, and the series also spawned adaptations in Israel
, The Netherlands
, Belgium, Russia, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Denmark Finland, South Africa and the United States.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show broadcast on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
. The show sees four couples compete against each other to renovate a home and sell it at auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
for the highest price.
The series first ran for two consecutive seasons in 2003 and 2004, hosted by Jamie Durie
Jamie Durie
Jamie Durie is an Australian landscaper and television personality. Formerly a prominent personality for the Nine Network, Durie has hosted a variety of programs for them, mostly "lifestyle" shows, such as Backyard Blitz, Renovation Rescue and The Block.Jamie previously was the host of the Seven...
. The first season was filmed at Bondi
Bondi, New South Wales
Bondi is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bondi is located seven kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council. The postcode is 2026.-Location:...
and the second at Manly
Manly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
.
A third series commenced airing on 22 September 2010, it is hosted by Scott Cam
Scott Cam
Scott Cam is an Australian television personality appearing on several lifestyle programmes on the Nine Network.-Early career:Scott is a qualified carpenter who did a three-year apprenticeship with his brother’s business....
. The series would again be set in Sydney, taking place in the suburb of Vaucluse
Vaucluse, New South Wales
Vaucluse is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Vaucluse is located north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Council and the Municipality of Woollahra....
.
A fourth series was ordered on 23 September 2010, one day after the first episode of series three aired.
The fourth season was filmed in the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
suburb of Richmond, Victoria
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
on Cameron Street. The season was set in four houses as opposed to an apartment block of four. The houses are all located side-by-side. This series premiered at 7pm on Monday 20 June, and aired at 7pm weeknights.
Channel 9 announced that The Block will be renewed for a fifth season, due to air in 2012. At this stage, it is unannounced whether season 4's format will be continued, or whether the show will revert back to the original structure. However like season 4, season 5 will also be set in Melbourne, on Dorcas Street in South Melbourne and will be in four double-storey terrace houses.
Season one (2003)
- Adam Thorn and Fiona Mills – Winners (fourth to be auctioned off)
- Paul and Kylie – Second Place (third to be auctioned off)
- Warren and Gavin – Third Place (second to be auctioned off)
- Phil Rankine and Amity DryAmity DryAmity Renae Dry is an Australian singer/songwriter, and a former reality show contestant.-Early career:At just five years of age she started studying music and piano and performing on stage...
– Fourth Place (first to be auctioned off)
Season two (2004)
- Andrew RochfordAndrew RochfordDr. Andrew Rochford is an Australian television personality who is best known for his part in presenting the Australian health show What's Good For You. He first came to public attention as the winner of the second series of the television reality show called The Block. He is currently a regular...
and Jamie Nicholson – Winners - Jason and Kirsten Johnson – 2nd Place
- Matt Martino and Jane Newton – 3rd Place
- Steven Starkey and Richard Sterry – 4th Place
Two original contestants, Dani and Monique Bacha, left the program in January 2004, two weeks into the second series, when it was reported that Dani had spent six months in jail in 2002 following his conviction for a drug-related offence. Andrew Rochford
Andrew Rochford
Dr. Andrew Rochford is an Australian television personality who is best known for his part in presenting the Australian health show What's Good For You. He first came to public attention as the winner of the second series of the television reality show called The Block. He is currently a regular...
and Jamie Nicholson replaced Dani and Monique Bacha.
Season three (2010)
- John and Neisha - Winner (First to be auctioned off) Reserve $900,000 Final $1,105,000 Profit $205,000
- Mark and Duncan - Third (Second to be auctioned off) Reserve $860,000 Final $907,000 Profit $47,000
- Erin and Jake - Second (Last to be auctioned off) Reserve $910,00 Final $997,500 Profit $87,500
- Chez and Brenton - Did not sell at auction (Third to be auctioned off) Reserve $880,000 Later sold for a profit of $90 000
Results
| Week | Room(s) | Costs | Winner | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John and Neisha | Mark and Duncan | Erin and Jake | Chez and Brenton | |||
| 1 | Guest room/study | $4,737 | $7,205 | $5,735 | $6,471 | Erin and Jake |
| 2 | "Spare room" | $6,457 | $6,175 | $6,916 | $7,331 | John and Neisha |
| 3 | Ensuite | $9,027 | $11,114 | $10,811 | $11,936 | Mark and Duncan |
| 4 | Master bedroom | $9,465 | $7,925 | $6,810 | $8,806 | Chez and Brenton |
| 5 | Main bathroom and laundry | $18,640 | $13,853 | $16,901 | $16,486 | Erin and Jake |
| 6 | Living room | $15,347 | $10,320 | $13,883 | $9,924 | John and Neisha |
| 7 | Kitchen | $28,039 | $31,159 | $31,400 | $25,720 | Erin and Jake |
Season four (2011)
Season four saw six major changes to the format of The Block.- The series location has changed to Melbourne instead of Sydney.
- An initial elimination week saw eight couples reduced to four.
- Instead of a block of flats with four apartments, there are four separate houses next to one another.
- Contestants now have to renovate the exterior of their home, in addition to the interior.
- Instead of two one hour long episodes airing per week, six episodes now air per week with a mix of one hour and half hour length episodes.
- Shelley CraftShelley CraftShelley De Billinghurst Craft and known professionally as Shelley Craft is an Australian television personality....
has been introduced to help host special challenges where contestants can win extra cash and prizes for their houses.
Eight couples were initially selected, with four being eliminated and the other four being given keys to the houses. The four remaining teams are:
- Josh and Jenna – House 1 (Blue)
- Polly and Waz – House 2 (Yellow)
- Katrina and Amie - House 3 (Green)
- Tania and Rod – House 4 (Red)
- The winners of The Block are Polly and Waz. They made $15,000 in profit and due to the other three couples houses being passed in, they also won the $100,000 grand prize making them the winners. Also in this finale episode, Josh proposed to Jenna, his girlfriend for 5 years and partner on The Block.
Results
| Couple | Auction spot | Reserve | Amount sold/passed in for at auction | Amount sold for after auction | Profit made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh and Jenna | First auctioned | $950,000 | $901,000 | $1,000,000 | $50,000 |
| Polly and Waz | Second auctioned | $840,000 | $855,000 | N/A | $15,000 ($115,000 including winners prize money) |
| Amie and Katrina | Third auctioned | $860,000 | $822,000 | $860,000 | $0 |
| Rod and Tania | Fourth auctioned | $850,000 | $832,000 | $922,000 | $72,000 |
Polly and Waz were the only couple whose property sold at auction, with the other three failing to meet their reserve prices. Following the auction, Amie and Katrina's property sold for their exact reserve amount, meaning they would not take any winnings from appearing on The Block. Also, Rod and Tania's property sold for the highest profit on The Block at $72,000 (however, as it was after the auction, Polly and Waz are still the winners).
Season five (2012)
A fifth season has been confirmed and applications for contestants are currently being accepted by the Nine Network. The applications close September 1, 2011. This season, like season four, will also be based in Melbourne, in the inner city suburb of South MelbourneSouth Melbourne, Victoria
South Melbourne is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Port Phillip and Melbourne...
with four double storey side by side terrace houses located at 401 - 407 Dorcas Street. The properties are all on separate titles with car access from Montague St and plans approved to allow for a third story extension.
Reception
The two first seasons were successful in the ratings, with the first season averaging 2.4 million viewers an episode, and over 3 million watching the season finale.The first and second series of The Block were both nominated for the Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for the "Most Popular Reality Program" at the 46th Annual
Logie Awards of 2004
The 46th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday, 18 April 2004 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Eddie McGuire presided as Master of Ceremonies for the second year in a row, and the awards featured special guest Mel Brooks...
and the 47th Annual TV Week Logie Awards
Logie Awards of 2005
The 47th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday 1 May 2005 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. In an historic first Andrew O'Keefe from the Seven Network, Eddie McGuire from the Nine Network and Rove McManus from Network Ten were all Master of Ceremonies...
held in 2004 and 2005 respectively. On both occasions it lost to Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
. Host Jamie Durie
Jamie Durie
Jamie Durie is an Australian landscaper and television personality. Formerly a prominent personality for the Nine Network, Durie has hosted a variety of programs for them, mostly "lifestyle" shows, such as Backyard Blitz, Renovation Rescue and The Block.Jamie previously was the host of the Seven...
was also nominated as the "Most Popular TV Presenter" as host of both The Block and Backyard Blitz
Backyard Blitz
Backyard Blitz was an Logie Award winning Australian lifestyle and DIY television program that aired on the Nine Network between 2000 through to 2007 before its cancellation...
at the 46th Logie Awards. However, he lost to the Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
variety talk show host, Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
.
The third series debuted with 1,134,000, a daily rank of 9. It lost to all its main timeslot competition consisting of Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
and Border Security
Border Security: Australia's Front Line
Border Security: Australia's Front Line is an Australian television programme that airs on the Seven Network. The show follows the work of officers of Australian Customs and Border Protection, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship as...
on Network Seven. However, it remained successful with key demographics and enjoyed steady ratings throughout the season. Series three concluded with 1.712 million viewers, and was the top program of the night in total people and all key demographics. It was also the second most-watched program of the week.
Series 3
| Episode | Date Aired | Timeslot | Rating | Nightly Rank | Weekly Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.01 | 23 September 2010 | Wednesday 7:30pm | 1,134,000 | 9 | 27 |
| 3.02 | 30 September 2010 | 1,122,000 | 10 | 23 | |
| 3.03 | 7 October 2010 | 1,122,000 | 5 | 16 | |
| 3.04 | 14 October 2010 | 1,162,000 |
International adaptations
A British versionThe Block (UK TV series)
The Block was a British reality television series broadcast on ITV in the summer of 2004, based on the Australian series of the same name. The show was presented by Lisa Rogers.-Format:...
aired on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in 2004, and the series also spawned adaptations in Israel
The Block (Israeli TV series)
The Block is the Israeli version of the Australian reality television show The Block, hosted by Haim Etgar. The show premiered on May 30, 2009, on Channel 10....
, The Netherlands
Het Blok
Het Blok is a Dutch reality series running since 2004 on Net 5. The program is based on the Australian series The Block.The program shows 4 couples who have 77 days to build and model an apartment. The construction happens while the couples hold their regular day jobs, so only evenings and weekends...
, Belgium, Russia, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Denmark Finland, South Africa and the United States.