The Block might have had a break in its regular programming on Sunday, but that didn’t slow it down for a second last night. The program won the ratings overall last night with a total TV national reach of 2,182,000 and a national average audience of 1,236,000 for the Nine Network.
In last night’s episode, the competition intensified as tensions rose between Mimi and Kristian and the formidable duo of Courtney and Grant. Mimi had previously declared herself the season’s villain, but Courtney and Grant are now in the mix, further stirring the drama.
For the first time, the show provided painting teams, but the catch was clear: if the plaster wasn’t on the walls, there would be nothing for the painters to work on. The stakes were high for Charlotte and Maddy, whose plans for a Venetian plaster feature wall hit a snag when one of their plasterers was barred from the site due to insurance issues.
Meanwhile, Grant and Courtney had plasterers sitting idle but refused to lend one to Charlotte and Maddy, asserting that every member of their team was essential. However, when foreman Dan found a plasterer to help, Courtney swooped in without consulting the sisters, claiming their support for the action.
This decision stirred further outrage from Charlotte and Maddy’s carpenter friend, Jack, who confronted Grant about their earlier refusal to assist. “They didn’t want to help us yesterday and now they want our help today? This is outrageous,” he stated.
When it came to judging, Maddy and Charlotte managed to implement their Venetian plaster, combining it with cabinetry and a natural log fireplace. However, the judges criticised their space for using the same pendant lights as Ricky and Haydn and remarked that both their dining and coffee tables were too small. Shaynna Blaze disparaged their floral arrangement, saying it could have been “found at the side of the road”.
Courtney and Grant’s design featured a mustard velvet occasional chair and scalloped-edge dining chairs, but their ill-placed fireplace and hanging pendants drew the judge’s ire, leading Darren to comment that the fireplace placement was “a disaster.”
Ricky and Haydn’s lowered ceiling and winning artwork received praise, but the judges noted issues with the dining table’s orientation.
In contrast, Kylie and Brad’s living and dining area won high praise for its lighting and custom features despite a minor fault regarding rug size.
Mimi and Kristian, however, struggled in the judges’ eyes, with Marty criticising their room for feeling “squashed” and lacking sophistication.
Ultimately, Kylie and Brad took the win with a score of 29.5, leaving Courtney and Grant, Maddy and Charlotte, Ricky and Haydn, and Mimi and Kristian in their wake.
Meanwhile, over on Ten, The Amazing Race: Celebrity Edition recorded its biggest BVOD audience ever as the ninth leg saw Olympic legend, Ian Thorpe, and his childhood best mate, Christian Miranda, eliminated from the race. Ian and Christian’s time on the race was in support of ReachOut Australia, a mental health organisation designed with and specifically for young people offering a wide range of support.
