The Block introduces dramatic new shared house twist

The Block’s newest contestants will be forced to live together inside a Mornington home renovated by former favourites Emma and Ben.

The four-bedroom property at 18 Brydon Close will house all 10 contestants throughout the hit renovation show’s 22nd season.

The property sold for about $1.86m earlier this year after being listed with price hopes of $1.75m-$1.925m.
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Nine has been contacted to confirm the arrangement, which the home has been secured for production.

The discovery creates a rare crossover between consecutive seasons of The Block, with a former contestant home now becoming the communal base for the incoming cast.

Five teams will lose the separate luxury caravans provided during last year’s Daylesford season and instead eat, sleep and unwind alongside the rivals they spend each day trying to beat.
The Block executive producer and creator Julian Cress said the arrangement would ensure the “competitive tension remains constant” as contestants spent almost every waking hour together.

“While living together offers opportunities for shared meals and camaraderie, it also ensures the competitive tension remains constant as contestants spend nearly every waking hour in each other’s company,” Cress said.

The Big Brother-style twist will eliminate the escape previously offered by separate accommodation after long days on the tools.

Pressure will be intensified by strict council restrictions limiting how long teams can work at the premium Mornington Peninsula site.

Under the restrictions, most construction work will be permitted between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and from 9am to 3pm on Saturdays.

The limits threaten to derail teams that fall behind, with contestants unable to claw back lost time by working through the night.

“Scott Cam’s perennial advice to treat every hour like it’s your last is no longer a suggestion, it is a necessity for survival,” Cress said.

“Those who fail to adapt will quickly see the wheels come off their 12-week delivery schedule.”

Cress said the restrictions reflected the show’s shift from the more remote Daylesford setting to an established coastal neighbourhood.

“Unlike last year’s more remote location where noise was not a concern, Mount Eliza is a premium residential neighbourhood, and we need to adhere to strict council regulations,” he said.

The teams will renovate five luxury homes divided between two precincts known as Uptown and Downtown.

Houses one, two and three will sit in the elevated Uptown precinct, with sweeping views across Port Phillip Bay towards the Melbourne skyline.

The lower Downtown precinct will contain houses four and five, with House 5 occupying the season’s largest block at 1435sq m and receiving an additional 50sq m of internal space.

The structural frames will be complete when the contestants arrive, leaving the teams to transform the interiors and outdoor areas.

The waterfront properties mark another series first, despite The Block having previously filmed in coastal locations including Bondi, Manly, Vaucluse and Phillip Island.

Host Scott Cam, who will return for his 20th season, said the site’s elevation and city views immediately stood out.

“I came here when it was just a green paddock with the road in the middle,” Cam said.

“The view caught me straight away, and its elevation along with the views of the city is fantastic.

“It is the first time in our history The Block has had water views.”

Contestants will also face what The Block judge Darren Palmer described as one of the hardest design briefs in the show’s history.

Teams have been ordered to create “quiet luxury” interiors inspired by Kim Kardashian’s Axel Vervoordt-designed home, using a white, light and bright aesthetic.

“They have one of the hardest briefs ever set on The Block, because Mount Eliza buyers know exactly what they want,” Palmer said.

“What became clear quickly is that this isn’t one market, it’s at least three distinct buyer cohorts, each with genuinely different expectations.

“Misunderstanding who they’re selling to could cost the contestants on auction day.”

Palmer said luxury in Mount Eliza needed to feel refined and liveable rather than ostentatious.

“The luxury is in the lifestyle and the ability to live comfortably in a home with guests and entertaining friends,” he said.

“It’s family-focused but also very detailed and architectural, which is a tricky blend.”

Whitefox director and Block judge Marty Fox said premium buyers would scrutinise every decision made by contestants.

“When buyers are spending at the premium end of the market, they aren’t just buying a home,” Fox said.

“They’re buying confidence. Every decision matters more. Every finish matters more. Every compromise becomes more obvious.

“Luxury isn’t about spending more money. It’s about creating a home that feels effortless.”

The interstate cast includes Gold Coast couple Chantel and Wyatt, South Australian cattle station managers Adam and Jolene, Brisbane best friends Courtney and Sev, Perth couple Lisa and Rosco, and Altona father-and-daughter team Rick and Tayla.

They will be judged by Shaynna Blaze, Palmer and Fox, with Shelley Craft returning for her 19th season alongside Cam and foreman Dan Reilly.

The Block premieres on Channel 9 and 9Now at 7pm on Sunday, August 2.

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david.bonaddio@news.com.au