Reno Rumble stars spill on House Rules

Two renovation shows, two networks -but how do they differ behind the scenes when you’ve been on both?

That’s the question TV Tonight put to former House Rules stars, now appearing in Nine’s Reno Rumble.

No longer under contract to Seven, Season One contestants from House Rules were cleverly signed up by Nine, and based on the way they answer questions for media, they are firm favourites of the latter.

Still, who wouldn’t be when that’s the show you are currently aligned to?

Ben & Jemma thought someone was playing a joke when The Block producers came calling.

“A guy from Channel Nine called and said they were keen to get us on a new concept reality reno show. And I thought, ‘Yeah right mate. We haven’t been seen nor heard of for 2 years. How could you want us to be on another reno show?’ But he was legit,” he says.

“So we sat down with a few people in power and they convinced us. I was thinking that we’d just had a new baby so I didn’t want to do reno again.

“They persuaded us by saying ‘It’s only 6 weeks. Have some fun.’ So we signed up and here we are.”

Jemma adds, “6 weeks is a lot better compared to 6 months.”

Chris and Nick confirm, “We wanted to find out more about it first because we knew the stresses involved and how it takes over your life. So we wanted to make sure it was a legitimate, decent show.

“Nine is more conversational and laid back.

“Nine is like hanging out with your mates whereas Channel Seven it was like you were at a prep school. You had the hierarchy and you had to follow their lead. Whereas this is more like everyone ‘just going with it.’

“Seven would push you to the brink. They tried to manipulate the storyline.”

In Reno Rumble the former House Rules stars will take on ex-Block champs, giving makeovers to two suburban houses, with one team eliminated every week. It has been strategically pitted against the third season of Seven’s own format.

“It differs in that instead of having to produce 2 or 3 whole spaces by the end of the week, we do one space in 48 hours and then finish off the rest of the house in 7 days,” said Jemma.

But in the Reality TV pressure cooker, there is no let up, even for experienced contestants.

“I feel like we’re sleeping a lot less in this one. We have 2 or 3 all-nighters a week. But the last show was 1 or a maximum of 2,” says Chris.

“It’s for charity. So that’s one of the reasons we came back.”

“It’s half to you, half to the charity, which is great,” adds Ben.

“House Rules we would just go to the scoring and they would tell you on the spot someone was getting eliminated. Here everyone gets eliminated because that’s the show, but on House Rules everything was on the spot. It was really stressful.”

Reno Rumble premieres 7:30pm tonight on Nine.