The eighth season of Australian reality television series House Rules, also known as House Rules: High Stakes, began airing on 6 April 2020. The series is produced by the team who created the Seven reality show My Kitchen Rules. This season was hosted by former judge Jamie Durie and Abbey Way.
Applications for Season 8 opened early in November 2018 and was confirmed in the seventh seasons grand final on the House Rules official network seven website. In July 2019, after seven seasons, Johanna Griggs announced she would not be returning as series host. In September 2019, Wendy Moore announced she would not be returning as series judge.
On 23 October 2019, the series was officially renewed for an eighth season titled "House Rules: High Stakes". For the first time, the season will feature eight teams. The announcement also introduced two new judges: interior designer Kyly Clarke and home builder Saul Myers, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen will return as a judge, while Jamie Durie will take over as the new host, joined by new co-host Abbey Gelmi.
It was announced in October 2020 that this would be the last season.
This season of House Rules consisted of new teams renovating each other's homes and further challenges for an ultimate prize of $100,000.
Format changes
Elimination rounds – This season will begin with eight teams. However, over two rounds, two teams will be eliminated. Each round will consist of renovating one half of a Gold Coast penthouse per round. The lowest scoring team from each round will be eliminated, whilst the other six will receive a spot in the competition. Interior renovations: Team scoring – For the first time during the interior renovation rounds, each team will also score each other's rooms, which will be combined into the average score from all teams. Elimination – This is the first season to have a double elimination during interior renovations. Round winners – The team who scores the highest after each house renovation receives $10,000 to keep personally. Interiorrenovationrounds Winning team Round prize 1 Kimmy & Rhi $10,000 2 3 Kayne & Aimee 4 Laith & George 5 Kimmy & Rhi 6 Kayne & Aimee Exterior renovations - For the first time, this season will not include any exterior or gardens renovations. Grand final - for the first time, not the two but four remaining teams will fight it out in the grand final.
Contestant teams
Team Ages House Relationship Status 1 Kimmy & Rhi Harris Both 31 Launceston, TAS Twin sisters Winners 2 Kayne & Aimee Stanton 37 & 26 Cranbourne, VIC Plumber couple Runners-up 3 Laith Abu-Ali & George Batarseh 29 & 30 Sydney, NSW Best mates Third place 4 Tamara Grant & Rhys Bennett 28 & 29 Brisbane, QLD Lawyer & fitness pro (couple) Fourth Place 5 Lenore McDermid & Bradley McLennan 55 & 31 Greystanes, NSW Mother & son Eliminated (interior renovation) 6 Tanya & Dave Dawes 38 & 36 Perth, WA Married with children Eliminated (interior renovation) 7 Susan & Anthony Lobriza 31 & 27 Berwick, VIC Married cheerleaders Eliminated (elimination round 2) DQ Carly & Andrew 38 & 46 Brisbane, QLD Married straight shooters Withdrew (elimination round 1)
Elimination history + Teams' progress through the competition Phase: Elimination Rounds Interior Renovation Round Total VIC NSW WA QLD NSW TAS Final Total Final Total Final Total Result Team Scores Scores Kimmy & Rhi 25 23 1st(48) 41 46 33 41 46 1st(207) 27 Winners Kayne & Aimee 21 19 4th(40) 43 39 34 39 43 2nd(198) 26 Runners-Up Laith & George 21 24 2nd(45) 39 35 41 40 39 3rd(194) 25 Third Place Tamara & Rhys 17 21 5th(38) 40 33 34 44 40 4th(191) 24 Lenore & Bradley 22 21 3rd(43) 39 42 31 39 38 5th(189) colspan=9 (Episode 27) Tanya & Dave 26 → 34 37 38 42 35 6th(186) colspan=9 (Episode 27) Susan & Anthony 15 19 6th(34) colspan=9 (Episode 6) Carly & Andrew Withdrew(Episode 2)
Competition details
Elimination rounds: Gold Coast penthouse
Round 1
Episode 1 to 3 Airdate — 6 to 8 April Description — In the first of two eliminations challenges, the teams had to renovate a zone in the first half of a 1970s Gold Coast penthouse within 7 days. It was intended that the losing team in this challenge would be eliminated, but due to a team withdrawing from the competition during this round, there will be no elimination after the round is complete, however the highest scoring team will be fast tracked to the interior renovations.
+ Renovation summary Round 1 House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Kyly Laurence Saul 9 8 9 through to IR 8 8 9 25 25 / 30 7 7 8 22 22 / 30 7 7 7 21 21 / 30 6 5 5 21 (16 + 5) 21 / 30 5 6 6 17 17 / 30 5 6 4 15 / 30 Withdrew Notes
Due to Carly & Andrew withdrawing from the competition, their two rooms had to be given to two teams, one room each, these rooms would now count as pass/fail rooms, if they pass the team receives 5 points, if they fail they receive nothing. The teams are: Laith & George decided to take on the Master Bedroom. The room was judged as a fail and they did not receive 5 extra points. Kayne & Aimee decided to take on the Open Study. The room was judged as a pass and they did receive 5 extra points.
Round 2
Episode 4 to 6 Airdate — 9 to 13 April Description — In the second of two eliminations challenges, the teams had to renovate a zone in The second half of a 1970s Gold Coast Penthouse within 7 days. The lowest scoring team at the end of this round will be eliminated. previous winner's advantage: Tanya & Dave — fast tracked to interior renovation rounds previous runners-up advantage: Kimmy & Rhi — allocating the zones to the teams
+ Renovation summary Round 2 House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Kyly Laurence Saul 8 7 8 23 1st (48) 9 7 8 2nd (45) 8 6 7 21 3rd (43) 6 7 6 4th (40) 7 8 6 21 5th (38) 6 7 6 6th (34) Through to interior renovations
Interior Renovation The six teams traveled around the country to completely renovate each other's home. Every week, one team handed over their house to their opponents for a complete interior transformation. A set of rules from the owners were given to the teams known as the 'House Rules' which needed to be followed to gain high scores from the judges and the homeowner team.
Victoria: Kayne & Aimee Episodes 7 to 9 Airdate — 14 to 20 April Description — Teams headed to Kayne & Aimee's home in Cranbourne, Victoria for the first renovation. The highest scoring team will receive $10,000 to keep personally. + Renovation 1 Cranbourne, Victoria House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Homeowner Kyly Laurence Saul Teams 8 9 8 8 8 41 / 50 10 8 7 7 8 40 40 / 50 9 8 7 7 8 39 39 / 50 9 7 7 8 8 39 39 / 50 8 7 6 6 7 34 / 50 colspan=7 —
New South Wales: Laith & George
Episodes 10 to 12 Airdate — 21 to 27 April Description — Teams headed to Laith & George's home in Sydney, New South Wales for the second renovation. The highest scoring team will receive $10,000 to keep personally. previous winner's advantage: Kimmy & Rhi — allocating the zones to the teams Previous loser's disadvantage: Tanya & Dave — Camping in a tent during the renovation.
+ Renovation 2 Sydney, New South Wales House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Homeowner Kyly Laurence Saul Teams 10 9 9 9 9 87 / 100 9 9 8 9 8 43 43 / 50 8 9 9 8 8 42 81 / 100 7 8 7 8 7 37 71 / 100 7 7 6 6 7 73 / 100 colspan=7 39 / 50
Western Australia: Tanya & Dave
Episodes 13 to 15 Airdate — 28 April to 4 May Description — Teams headed to Tanya & Dave's 's home in Perth, Western Australia for the third renovation. The highest scoring team will receive $10,000 to keep personally. Three of the bedrooms belong to their children; Luke, eight years old; Ben, six years old and Emily, four years old. previous winner's advantage: Kimmy & Rhi — allocating the zones to the teams Previous loser's disadvantage: Tamara & Rhys — Camping in a tent during the renovation.
+ Renovation 3 Perth, Western Australia House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Homeowner Kyly Laurence Saul Teams 9 8 7 7 8 82 / 100 8 7 7 5 8 35 74 / 100 7 7 7 6 7 34 107 / 150 9 7 5 5 7 33 120 / 150 8 6 5 5 7 112 / 150 colspan=7 71 / 100
Queensland: Tamara & Rhys
Episodes 16 to 19 Airdate — 5 to 11 May Description — Teams headed to Tamara & Rhys's home in Brisbane, Queensland for the fourth renovation. The highest scoring team will receive $10,000 to keep personally. previous winner's advantage: Kayne & Aimee — allocating the zones to the teams Previous loser's disadvantage: Lenore & Bradley — Camping in a tent during the renovation.
+ Renovation 4 Brisbane, Queensland House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Homeowner Kyly Laurence Saul Teams 8 8 8 9 8 115 / 150 9 7 9 8 8 41 161 / 200 8 7 9 7 8 39 151 / 200 8 7 9 6 8 38 109 / 150 7 6 8 6 7 116 / 150 colspan=7 107 / 150 Notes Even though both Laith & George and Kimmy & Rhi received the same score, only one team could win this round, so the winner was decided by the scores given by the teams, Kimmy & Rhi received 8's from all teams however Laith & George received three 8's and a 9, meaning the 9 being the higher score they won this round.
New South Wales: Lenore & Bradley
Episodes 20 to 23 Airdate — 17 to 25 May Description — Teams headed to Lenore & Bradley's home in Greystanes, New South Wales for the fifth renovation. The highest scoring team will receive $10,000 to keep personally. previous winner's advantage: Laith & George — allocating the zones to the teams Previous loser's disadvantage: Kayne & Aimee — Camping in a tent during the renovation.
+ Renovation 5 Greystanes, New South Wales House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Homeowner Kyly Laurence Saul Teams 9 9 10 9 9 207 / 250 8 9 9 9 9 44 151 / 200 9 9 8 8 8 42 151 / 200 8 8 8 8 8 40 155 / 200 8 8 8 7 8 155 / 200 colspan=7 151 / 200
Tasmania: Kimmy & Rhi
Episodes 24 to 27 Airdate — 26 May to 1 June Description — Teams headed to Kimmy & Rhi's home in Launceston, Tasmania for the sixth and final interior renovation. The highest scoring team will receive $10,000 to keep personally. The two lowest scoring teams overall will be eliminated. previous winner's advantage: Tamara & Rhys — allocating the zones to the teams Previous loser's disadvantage: Kayne & Aimee — Camping in a tent during the renovation.
+ Renovation 6 Launceston, Tasmania House Rules Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5 Team Zone Scores Homeowner Kyly Laurence Saul Teams colspan=7 1st (207) 8 9 9 9 8 2nd (198) 8 8 7 8 8 39 3rd (194) 8 8 8 8 8 40 4th (191) 8 8 7 7 8 38 5th (189) 7 7 7 7 7 6th (186) Notes Although Kimmy & Rhi were the highest scoring team in the previous week, they do not participate in the renovation of their own home, therefore the allocation of team zones was given to the second-highest scoring team.
Grand Final
Episode 28 to 30 Airdate — 2 to 7 June Description — The four remaining teams will, for the first time in history, be renovating for charity. They have now been given only four days to construct a Nano-Homes freight house with no demolition required for a man named Lionel who has lost his home due to circumstances beyond his control. The winner at the end will be determined by points and will receive a grand prize of $100,000. previous winner's advantage: Kimmy & Rhi — allocating their own zone
+ Renovation summary Grand Final House Rules Rule 1 Be house proud and create a Zen inspired retreat Rule 2 Make sure small is perfectly formed Rule 3 Decorate with life’s stylish necessities Rule 4 Be sustainable, natural and neutral Rule 5 Be cheeky with the use of LLB’s wallpaper Team Zone Scores Kyly Laurence Saul 9 9 927 Winners 8 9 926 8 8 9 25 Third Place 8 8 8 24
Ratings
Colour key: – Highest number of viewers/nightly rank during the season – Lowest number of viewers/nightly rank during the season