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The Block announces 2011 couples

The Block has announced its 8 couples who will compete to design four terrace houses this year, in its newly-stripped format.

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The Block has announced its 8 couples who will compete to design four terrace houses this year, in its newly-stripped format.

In an Amazing Race-style branding, teams are labelled as Childhood sweethearts, twins, newlyweds and sisters.

Shelley Craft also appears as a “Challenge Master.”

The Block is back, bigger, harder and more competitive than ever – because this time, teams will renovate not an apartment but an entire house.

And the extra-extra twist this year is that there are four houses – but eight teams from across Australia who want to move in.

Scott Cam returns to host The Block 2011, with real estate guru John McGrath and Belle Magazine Editor-in-Chief Neale Whitaker back to scrutinise the renovating and designing efforts from this year’s couples. They will be joined by Challenge Master Shelley Craft, who will put the couples through their paces in a series of exciting, renovation-based cash and prize-winning challenges.

The new series of Australia’s biggest property reality program begins with eight determined couples competing in a tense 24-hour, do-or-die Elimination Challenge to see who makes it through to the major thrill ride: the full property renovation.

They are:
Newlyweds Chris and Carrie (both 27) from Sydney, NSW
Childhood sweethearts Tania (39) and Rod (38) from Warragul, VIC
Lovebirds Jenna (23) and Josh (24) from Melbourne, VIC
Husband and wife Chrissy (30) and Toby (32) from the Sunshine Coast, QLD
Tradie and his lady Aaron (27) and Shannon (31) from Perth, WA
City girl Polly (24) and country boy Waz (27) from Sydney, NSW
Sisters Katrina (33) and Amie (31) from Wagga Wagga and Albury, NSW
Twins Laura and Emily (25) from Melbourne, VIC

With little more than what they’re wearing, the final four will be taken out of their comfort zones and dropped into a frantic eight-week contest to renovate dilapidated houses in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond. Once thought of as downmarket and seedy, Richmond has undergone a renaissance in recent decades with families and young professionals moving in and reinvigorating the district.

The pattern for The Block is familiar to audiences the world over. Equal budgets, this year a record $100,000, are given to all four couples, but then they’re on their own. They sink or swim according to their own abilities in creativity, design, planning, budgeting, execution and selling.

In the famous tradition of The Block, each couple will get to keep the profit from the auction of their own property. And after the last auctioneer’s gavel goes down the couple whose property makes the most over reserve wins an additional $100,000. The Block 2010 gave away more than $500,000 in prizemoney, with winners John and Neisha taking home a whopping $305,000.

The Block 2011, all new and exciting, comes to Channel Nine at 7 o’Block (7.00pm) five nights a week from Monday, June 20.

23 Responses

  3. Its just a cakle of laughter and crap full of dopy peolpe who have no idea at all.
    this show is full of non stop advertising which goes on like for ever. It seems everything is so dragged out. Id rather watch a repeat episode of 2 and 1/2 men any time before this.

  4. Boring Hope this is an Epic fail. All indications say it will be and I dont know of any TV geek like myself that is looking forward to it, let alone watch it. If Scott Cam isnt enough of a turnoff then they have ensured Shelly Craft will give it another offputing factor- heres hoping they roll out Eddie and Catriona and that is the certain kiss of death.

  5. Even more unwatchable compared to when Charlie Sheen was on at the same hour.If Nine thinks this will solve their 7pm problems They have another thing coming.

  8. I must say that Shelley looks awfully sick in that photo. is everything okay with her?
    and that’s all i have to say about the block. boring…

  9. Agreed Mac. Surely there was a gay or lesbian couple who applied? Right?

    One of the worst things of last season was all the couples being dating couples. Apart from those useless tradies who strung their one character-trait out for far far far too long.

    Here’s hoping the sister/twins make this show worth watching without the usual “They’re going to underestimate us because we are girls!”

    Sigh.

  12. It’ll be 7.30pm on NBN for sure – their 1hr news followed by ACA is immovable.

    Is 7 o’Block really the best the collective creativity within nine’s publicity department could come up with? They should be talking to some of the journos there, who seem to dedicate their entire lives to coming up with crappy puns.

  14. @ deedeedragons…not quite full wasp (white anglo saxon protestant) version, there could be the odd celtic person or catholic. However you are quite right in noticing the apparent lack of ethnic diversity…. and also such a limited age range 23-39….and also apparently all heterosexual. Some of the very best reno jobs I have seen in inner city Melb were done by gay folk…..ah well ch9 not yet embracing change…

  16. Haha I thought 7’oBlock was quite smart!

    Yay to see Shelly on this season. She’s always great.

    Does anyone know if Freedom will be sponsoring again this year? Seeing as the huge Ikea is in Richmond, I’m guessing the couples would be going there a lot.

  17. C’mon Rutzie, 7 o’Block’s quite catchy and should help people associate that time with the show. And Eddie’s not hosting so things might be looking up for Nine.

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