The Block ‘cheaters’ receive two-point penalty, leaving one team furious

The contestants caught cheating on The Block have finally been punished – but the penalty has left one team fuming.

Block host Scott Cam has finally handed down a punishment for the two teams involved in this year’s wild cheating scandal — but those expecting strict repercussions were left feeling bitter.

Amid viewers calling to have contestants disqualified, Scotty told the twins and Tanya and Vito they would instead have just two points deducted from their scores for week’s basement room challenge.

It comes after Luke and Josh won master bedroom week by using the stolen photo of The Block’s top-secret production schedule to plan ahead, resulting in a fiery clash between the teams.

Josh and Luke and Tanya and Vito ended up receiving more of a slap on the wrist than a serious penalty.

But while Ronnie and Georgia in particular thought the punishment didn’t fit the crime — the brutal feedback during the boys’ room reveal left them sniggering.

Greeting the contestants after a dramatic week on site, Scotty addressed the elephant in the room straight off the bat.

“I thought long and hard about this and I’ve come to a decision,” he said of the teams’ demands for the cheaters to face consequences.

“I will be deducting two points from each of your scores tonight, effectively ruling you out of this week’s room,” he told the couples from houses three and four.

“This will also give some of the others a head start on the domain leaderboard to choose the auction order at the end of the series,” he added.

Scott Cam doled out the penalties on Sunday night.

Reacting to the move, Ronnie didn’t mince words.

“I think it’s flat out bullsh*t – two points is not enough,” he told producers.

“All their points should have been stripped and all the money should have been given back.”

Meanwhile, Mitch kept his thoughts to a minimum, simply weighing-in that he thought the cheating penalty was “appropriate”. However, speaking on Fitzy and Wippa earlier this week, he revealed how he really felt.

“I think they got off pretty lightly … we were kinda surprised at how lightly they got off,” he said.

“Ultimately (their house) has gotta go to auction,” added Mark.

Mitch and Mark kept quiet about their real thoughts on the punishment throughout the episode … but it was written all over their faces.

Neutral team Kirsty and Jesse — who won this week’s reveal with their vintage Hollywood-inspired home theatre — said they thought the two points would end up giving them an advantage by the end of the competition.

After tonight’s scores, they may be right, with Luke and Josh getting scolded by the judges for their cinema room.

While Neale described it as feeling “down-market” and “like a Bach pad,” Shaynna was much more damning.

“It feels cheap and nasty. It’s crap. Absolute crap, I’m just shocked,” she said, turning her nose up at the boys’ “lazy” styling, overly commercial furniture and “dismal” finishing touches.

The boys' cinema room featured a life size Iron Man action figure.

Ronnie – the resident pot-stirrer – led the awkward applause after the delivery.

True to form, the boys disagreed with the criticism, telling the camera: “It’s personal opinion. It all comes down to personal opinion.

“I think it’s a great cinema room, we really enjoy it. It’s all about taste,” Luke added.

Overall, they earned just 19 points for the week after the two-point deduction was applied.

Tanya and Vito, however — who admitted to being the first to see and circulate the production schedule photo — got off lightly, scoring a decent 27.5 before their two points were docked, bringing them down to 25.5

Country couple Kirsty and Jesse ultimately won with 29 points, putting them in third place on the overall leaderboard.

And with the cheating scandal seemingly done and dusted (for now), master ensuite week is up next for the teams.

Originally published as The Block ‘cheaters’ receive two-point penalty, leaving one team furious