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Returning: The Block

Nine has confirmed The Block's return for late January

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The Block 14Nine has confirmed The Block returns on Monday, January 27, at 7.30pm -which is expected to see it go head to head with Seven’s My Kitchen Rules launch.

The Block: Fans v Faves sees novice renovators pitted against former contestants Alisa and Lysandra (The Block: Sky High) plus the new team of Brad and Dale (The Block 2012).

The first week brings back the renovation elimination challenges in which four teams will compete for two places against the former contestants.

The site this season is a one-time picture theatre in Albert Park.

Four couples representing the TV fans will see if they can go from watching The Block on their couch each night to actually building it. And they will face a monumental challenge, one never attempted before on Australia’s number one home renovation program.

The huge task ahead in The Block: Fans v Faves is to convert the old Dux Theatre in Melbourne’s Albert Park into four three-bedroom, three-bathroom, loft-style apartments.

A vacant shell awaits this year’s Blockheads. The old Dux building has no internal walls, no floors, no roof and no plumbing. Does that mean no hope for the intrepid renovators? Time will tell.

For the first time ever, contestants will be able to plan their apartments from scratch, the shape and size of every room. They are literally the architects of their own destiny.

“It’s the biggest, toughest Block challenge we’ve ever set our contestants,” says host Scott Cam.

“There’s no roof, walls or insulation to keep them warm. They’ll be camping out in the elements, cooking on a camp stove and dealing with Melbourne’s unpredictable weather.

“There really is nowhere to sleep, so we give them tents to start with. And, this being Melbourne, you can bet there will be a fair share of rain. There are no kitchen facilities and no running water. These are definitely the toughest conditions contestants have had to endure on The Block.

The first two episodes will each see two of the fan teams with their heads on the chopping block. The four fan teams will be competing for two prized spots on The Block and a gruelling elimination challenge will decide if they get a shot at their dream or head home before it even begins.

THE FAVES:

Alisa (29) and Lysandra (29), identical twins from Adelaide, SA
Won The Block Sky High 2013 and collected a total of $395,000.

Brad (32) from Bishop’s Bridge, NSW, and Dale (32), from Geelong, VIC
Brad (with partner Lara) won The Block in 2012 and pocketed a massive $606,000.
Dale (with wife Sophie) took home $355,000 from The Block in 2012.

THE FANS:

Chantelle (31) from Melbourne, VIC, and Steve (35), from Geelong, VIC
Dating for two years.

Pascale (25) and Chris (28), from Gold Coast, QLD
Married for one year.

Jesse (27) and Kenny (30), from Townsville, QLD
Married for one year.

Kyal (27) and Kara (26), from Central Coast, NSW
Married for six years.

Returning to join Scott Cam on The Block are challenge master Shelley Craft, judges Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer, and “The Blockinator” foreman, Keith Schleiger.

Since it began in 2003, The Block has been a ratings smash. The grand finale of The Block Sky High was seen by a massive average national audience of 4.3 million and was Nine’s most watched program of 2013.

A whopping $5,705,001 has been given away in prizemoney in seven series of The Block, with more to come in 2014.

7:30pm Monday January 27 on Nine.

22 Responses

  1. With The Block showing on nine from 7:30PM weeknights, the Nine Network might get interrupted due to the Live NRL Coverage shown in QLD, and NSW. This will also affect The Voice Australia, Big Brother and The Great Australian Bake Off.

  2. Nobody has mentioned this yet, but what will happen in March when the NRL starts? Nine was able to strip “7 o’Block” Mon-Fri before, but with a one hour news bulletin and ACA at 7, Nine in NSW and Qld won’t be able to show The Block on Friday at 7:30. Nine’s contract with the NRL states that they must show the match of the round live at 7:30 Friday night. This will also affect Celebrity Apprentice and Nine’s other reality shows.

  3. This is a massive overkill for television in February with MKR, The Block: Fans v Faves and TBL. If Channel TEN has the Sochi Olympic Games while The Biggest Loser is on, then will be a massive overkill. It would be best if The Biggest Loser would be moved to Eleven.
    On the other side, The Block might be interrupted for Perth viewers due to live cricket.

  4. @David Knox – but it would be better to watch sports live and Winter Olympics comes every 4 years just like the Soccer World Cup, Summer Olympics and Comm Games. Plus the Winter Olympics won’t be simulcast as One and Ten will show different sports at the same time. I watched the London games to about 10.30 at night (Perth local time). I would watch the special sporting events that come only for 2 weeks in 4 years and give up watching other content shown on TV for that period of time (depending on when it’s broadcast)

    1. Actually they would be watching Australian content and Aussie formats anyway. It’s a free world William, viewers can keep track of our performance overseas without the need to watch every minute and with PVRs can even see both. Those who did not watch all of London 2012 on Nine were hardly “Un-Australian.”

  8. Technically and legally they cant possibly do this amount of building work as unlicensed “tradies”. Also living on site cannot be legal. Sorry, just script it as a fictional show and be done with it.

  9. Seven could easily get a head start against Nine by scheduling the season premiere of My Kitchen Rules on Sunday January 26 at 6.30pm before the high rating Australian Open final.

  17. If the biggest loser is up against the block and my bitching rules then it hasn’t gota hope ten should put it on at 7pm Monday to Friday in half hour episodes and the weigh in and elimination on Sundays that would give it at least some chance

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