The Block NZ is a New Zealand reality television series based on the popular Australian series The Block. The first season premiered on Three on 4 July 2012.
The show is hosted by former New Zealand cricketer Mark Richardson and Shelley Ferguson, while Peter Wolfkamp serves as site foreman. It follows four couples as they compete against each other to completely renovate, room by room, four neighbouring houses in Auckland, and then sell them at auction. Each couple keeps any profit made on the house, and the winner receives a bonus cash sum.
The main sponsors were paint manufacturer Resene, car manufacturer Suzuki, flooring retailer Flooring Xtra, and fast food chain Subway. Throughout seasons 1–2, car manufacturer Mazda was also a main sponsor, but for season 3, the sponsorship was awarded to car manufacturer Honda. Other previous sponsors include Bunnings, BP's Wild Bean Cafe, AMI Insurance and Pita Pit.
The series premiered in Australia on 9Go! on 12 August 2012.
The eleventh series, which was set to air in 2023, was originally postponed to 2024 due to a "challenging house market" and the dismal results of the 10th season. However, in May 2024, despite the 11th season being almost ready for filming, Warner Bros. Discovery cancelled the series due to the network restructure.
Development The show was initially announced on 24 February 2012, when a casting call went out and saw over 1,000 couples apply. The four couples selected for the first season were announced on the official Facebook page on 17 June 2012.
Hosts and judges
+ Timeline of hosts, judges and other personnel Starring Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Current Mark Richardson colspan="10" Shelley Ferguson colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="6" colspan="1" Jason Bonham colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="1" Peter Wolfkamp colspan=10 Former Shannon Ryan colspan="3" colspan="10" Victoria Bidwell colspan="1" colspan="10" Stewart Harris colspan="1" colspan="10" Janice Kumar-Ward colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="10" Jeremy Hansen colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="10" Mark Gascoigne colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="10" Fiona McLeod colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="10" Paul Izzard colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="10" Bernadette Morrison colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="10" Kristina Rapley colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="10" Lizzi Whaley colspan="7" colspan="1" colspan="10" Chris Stevens colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="1" Ann-Louise Hyde colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="1" Lauren Mirabito colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="1"
Series overview Season Title Location Episodes Originally aired Result Season premiere Season finale People's Choice Award winner Winning team Winning profit (NZD) Total profit 1 2012 Takapuna, Auckland 20 Libby & Ben Crawford $157,000 $237,0002 2013 Belmont, Auckland 31 Pete & Andy Alice & Caleb Pearson $181,000 $261,000 3 2014 Point Chevalier, Auckland 49 Jo & Damo Alex & Corban Walls $227,000 $307,000 4 Villa WarsSandringham and Three Kings, Auckland40 Cat & Jeremy Brooke Thompson & Mitch Davies$190,000$290,000 5 Girls Vs. BoysMeadowbank, Auckland46Dyls Cossey & Dylz Guitink Sam Cable & Emmett Vallender$380,000$480,000 6 Northcote, North Shore, Auckland 49 Andy Murdie & Nate Ross Andy Murdie & Nate Ross$31,000$131,000 7 Hobsonville, Auckland 49 Amy Moore & Stu Watts Amy Moore & Stu Watts$69,500$169,500 8 Firehouse Kingsland, Auckland 48 Sam Whatarangi & Ethan Ordish Lisa Ridout-Gordon & Chris "Ribz" Gordon$50,000$150,000 9 2021 Point Chevalier, Auckland48 14 June 202114 November 2021 Dylan & Keegan Crawford Tim Cotton & Arthur "Arty" Gillies$660,000$760,000 10 Redemption Orewa, Auckland 37 18 July 2022 9 October 2022 Maree & James Steele Chloe Hes & Ben Speedy $4,000 $104,000
Profits Season No. of teams No. of properties sold at auction Winning Prize Average auction profit Combined auction profit 1 2012 4 $80,000 $58,000 $232,000 2 2013 4 $74,750 $299,000 3 2014 4 $111,250 $445,000 4 2015 4 $100,000 $158,250 $633,000 5 2016 4 $245,250 $981,000 6 2017 4 $16,250 $65,000 7 2018 4 $51,362.50 $205,450 8 2019 4 2 $50,000 $50,000 9 2021 4 $537,500 $2,150,000 10 2022 4 2 $1,025 $4,100 Overall combined profit $ Including Prize Money ($) $ The combined auction profit excludes the winning prize money
Returning teams Contestants Relationship Original season Returning season Combined profit Quinn & Ben Alexandre Married 3 $40,000 10 $0 $40,000 Chloe Hes&Ben Speedy Friends 7 $11,500&$57,000 10 $104,000divided between each other for $52,000 $63,500&$109,000 Maree & James Steele Married 3 $147,000 10 $100 $147,100 Stacy & Adam Middleton Married 8 $0 10 $0 $0 Chloe and Ben originally appeared on the same season, however in separate teams. They returned to season 10 as a team.
Season synopses
Season 1
The first season of The Block NZ premiered on 4 July 2012 and ended on 6 September 2012. It is set in the Auckland suburb of Takapuna.
House Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 4 Rachel & Tyson $798,000 $798,000 $0 $0 4th2 2 Sarah & Rich $806,000 $870,000 $64,000 $64,000 2nd3 1 Libby & Ben $804,000 $961,000 $157,000 $237,000 1st4 3 Ginny & Rhys $794,000 $805,000 $11,000 $11,000 3rd
Season 2
The second season of The Block NZ premiered on 26 August 2013 and ended on 4 November 2013. It is set in the Auckland suburb of Belmont.
House Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 3 Alice & Caleb $945,000 $1.126m $181,000 $260,000 1st2 4 Alisa & Koan $948,000 $1.014m $66,000 $66,000 2nd3 1 Pete & Andy $925,000 $952,000 $27,000 $27,000 3rd4 2 Loz & Tom $922,000 $947,000 $25,000 $25,000 4th
Season 3
The third season of The Block NZ premiered on 26 August 2014 and ended on 18 November 2014. It is set in the Auckland suburb of Point Chevalier, the first time the Block was held outside of the North Shore.
House Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 3 Quinn & Ben $1.325m $1.335m $10,000 $10,000 4th2 2 Maree & James $1.325m $1.472m $147,000 $147,000 2nd3 1 Alex & Corban $1.325m $1.552m $227,000 $307,000 1st4 4 Jo & Damo $1.325m $1.386m $61,000 $61,000 3rd
Season 4
The fourth season of The Block NZ premiered on 29 September 2015. It is set on the boundary of the Auckland suburbs of Sandringham and Three Kings. The title for the fourth season was The Block NZ: Villa Wars.
House Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 3 Jamie & Hayden $1.175m $1.335m $160,000 $160,000 2nd (tie)2 2 Sarah & Minanne $1.149m $1.272m $123,000 $123,000 4th3 4 Cat & Jeremy $1.160m $1.320m $160,000 $160,000 2nd (tie)4 1 Brooke & Mitch $1.160m $1.350m $190,000 $290,000 1st
Season 5
The fifth season of The Block NZ premiered on 29 May 2016 and is set in the Auckland suburb of Meadowbank. The title of this series is "Girls vs Boys", with two of the teams being made up of females and the other two made up with males. It has netted the highest combined profits of $981,000.
House Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 1 Niki & Tiff $1,170,000 $1,320,000 $150,000 $150,000 4th2 3 Dyls & Dylz $1,190,000 $1,341,000 $151,000 $151,000 3rd 3 2 Emma & Courtney $1,210,000 $1,510,000 $300,000 $300,000 2nd4 4Sam & Emmett $1,230,000 $1,610,000 $380,000 $480,000 1st
Season 6
The sixth season premiered on 25 June 2017. It is set in the Auckland suburbs of Northcote, North Shore. The title of this series is "Side X Side", as each of the houses were large 4-storey townhouses, the largest houses in terms of floor area in The Block NZ. It had a combined profits ($65,000), and it also saw the first time a house did not meet reserve, but got the highest bid on the re-sell.
House Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 1 Ling & Zing $1,299,000 $1,300,000 $1,000 $1,000 4th2 2 & 5Andy & Nate $1,219,000 $1,250,000 $31,000 $131,000 1st3 3Julia & Ali $1,229,000 $1,242,000 $13,000 $13,000 3rd4 4Stace & Yanita $1,251,000 $1,271,000 $20,000 $20,000 2nd
Season 7
The seventh season premiered on 8 July 2018. It is set in the Auckland suburb of Hobsonville. The title of this series is "On Point".
House Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 2Claire & Agni$920,000$950,000$30,000$30,0003rd2 1Ben & Tom $930,000$987,000$57,000$57,0002nd3 4 Chlo & Em$910,000$921,500$11,500$11,5004th4 3Amy & Stu$940,000$1,009,500$69,500$169,5001st
Season 8
The eighth season premiered on 17 June 2019. It is set in the Auckland suburb of Kingsland. The title of this series is "Firehouse", as the contestants are renovating apartments in an old fire station.
Apt Auction spot Couple Reserve Auction Result Profit Total Winnings Placing spot 1 3Stacy & Adam$1,480,000$1,480,000 (after auction)$0$02nd2 1Lisa & Ribz$1,290,000$1,340,000$50,000$150,0001st3 2Ethan & Sam$1,390,000$1,390,000$0$02nd4 4 Sophia & Mikaere>$1,600,000$1,600,000 (after auction)$0$02nd
Season 9
The ninth series premiered on 14 June 2021. It is the second season to be set in the Auckland suburb of Point Chevalier. Production began in 2020 but was paused for 13 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
HouseAuction Spot TeamReserveAuction ResultProfitTotal WinningsPlacing spot 14th Connie & Rach$2,270,000$2,692,000$422,000$422,0004th 23rd Meg & Dan$2,222,000$2,700,000$478,000$478,0003rd 32nd Dylan & Keegan$2,155,000$2,745,000$590,000$590,000 + Suzuki Jimny2nd 41st Tim & Arthur$2,165,000$2,825,000$660,000$760,0001st
Season 10
The tenth series of The Block premiered on 18 July 2022. It is set in the Auckland server of Orewa, and features contestants from previous seasons.
The series was won by Chloe & Ben, however it is the current lowest auction to date as they only went over the reserve by $4,000, then Maree & James by only $100, whilst the other two teams homes were passed in and received nothing, making only a combined profit of $4,100. After the auction, TSB New Zealand (sponsor of the series) gifted Quinn and Ben, Maree and James & Stacey and Adam with $10,000 each for the hard work and failing to achieve a profit.
HouseAuction Spot TeamReserveAuction ResultProfitTotal WinningsPlacing spot 12nd Quinn & Ben$1.199mPassed in$0$10,0003rd= 24th Chloe & Ben$1.141m$1,145,000$4000$104,0001st 33rd Maree & James$1.152m$1,152,100$100$10,100 + a Suzuki Vitara JLXas votes by the viewers2nd 41st Stacy & Adam$1.148mPassed in$0$10,0003rd=
Notes
References
External links