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One big Block family

Now that the end is in sight, Steve and Chantelle relax about that editing.

imageHe may have had his moments, lashing out on Facebook about selective editing on The Block, but standing proudly in his completed apartment with partner Chantelle Ford yesterday, Steve O’Donnell takes it all his stride.

The 35-year-old chimney sweep concedes what he said about the show attracted a lot of attention, but with his eye on the finish line now he manages to find more perspective.

“There were a few discrepancies I felt between what was shown on television and what was actually the case,” he told TV Tonight. “But somebody I knew in the media, who happened to be a friend decided to share that with somebody else, who decided to write a story about it.

“It’s not something I would have liked to have happened, in hindsight. At the time I was a little bit upset at how it all transpired, but ultimately I have to wear that because it was my own fault. On social media neither of us have been in a position where we are so sought after by the public. Anything I have written in the past on social media has never been met with such interest.”

Ford appreciated that producers were understanding about their own misunderstanding…

“Channel Nine and The Block were amazing about it. We were never up against anyone. We’re in this together. It is a Block family, and they know us very well,” she says.

“So like a friend they get how it went down and we worked together. It was honest and true, but there was no ‘awful-ness’ at all.”

O’Donnell adds, “When the story is complete and I can look back on it, I will say ‘This has been an experience I will never regret and never forget.’ That is the day I’m looking forward to.”

There’s a lot at stake here, having committed months to the hard labor of renovation, with a potential multi-million dollar apartment on the line. Suddenly a strategically-edited phone call to a supplier doesn’t seem so dramatic.

Even for self-confessed fans of the Nine series, it’s been a steep learning curve.

“Chantelle got the gist of what was required earlier than I did,” O’Donnell admits. “By about Week 6, Kitchen Week I said ‘I think I understand this process a lot more than I had in the beginning.’ That’s when we started having more fun with (foreman) Keith.”

“We learned to stick up for ourselves a lot more,” says Ford.

“It was strange. It wasn’t bad but it was strange. You’re not used to having cameras and microphones and you think, ‘Do I really need to tell someone I’m going to get coffee?’

“But it became normal very quickly.”

Ford says there was very little coaching from producers about their needs for storytelling.

“If you’re doing the wrong thing they say, ‘Don’t have your back towards camera,’ but that’s as far as it goes,” she says.

While Ford is up for the challenge of another Block should it be offered, O’Donnell says he would return, but there is a hesitancy…

The auction of Dux House in Albert Park takes place on April 8th, with the likely finale to air Wednesday April 9th.

Steve and Chantelle are still yet to win a room challenge. How do they rate their chances?

“I think we have a good chance!” Ford insists.

“The underdog comes in and blitzes them all!”

The Block airs 7:30pm Monday – Thursday and 6:30pm Sundays on Nine. 

2 Responses

  1. ” now he manages to find more perspective “?.

    Is this the result of corporate speak or a whisper in an ear, simply saying ‘ Hey dumbo Dog (the ‘under’ is optional) have you forgotten the auction is in April, and how much ‘you’ depend, on how ‘ We’ handle/promote your apartment, which ultimately could have a direct impact on how close you may just miss out on winning the Block’

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