‘A walk in the park’: Past Block stars speak out about this year’s rule changes

Past contestants on The Block have spoken out against this season’s extreme rule changes, saying the show is now “a walk in the park”.

Two past contestants on The Block have spoken out against this season’s extreme rule changes, saying the show is now “a walk in the park” for contestants.

And it appears some viewers agree, flooding The Block’s social media pages with comments criticising the rule changes.

Host Scott Cam announced a few changes to the game in Monday’s episode, designed to make life easier for contestants: They’d be given their entire budget for the renovation ($250,000 per couple) upfront. They’d be given the show’s full, 12-week production schedule in advance, so they could plan ahead. And Cam revealed he would also hire and pay for all plumbers and electricians on site, making them a communal resource so that individual teams wouldn’t run up massive bills employing trades when they didn’t have anything to do.

A post on The Block’s Instagram account heralding the new changes.

The changes were all welcome news to this season’s crop of contestants as they set about renovating five 1950s brick houses in Charming St, Hampton East – but 2021 contestants Kirsty Lee Akers and Jesse Anderson weren’t as pleased.

“This year’s block is a walk in the park! This would have been amazing to have, oh and the roof/walls and bed to sleep in looks awesome too,” the couple wrote on their joint account, under a photo of the season’s full schedule posted to The Block’s Instagram account.

Others chimed in to agree that this season’s contestants seem to have it particularly easy – even avoiding that usual Block rite of passage of having to camp out until they’ve build their first bedroom to sleep in.

“I can’t believe how easy this years contestants have things: No sleeping rough, nice beds to sleep in,” wrote one fan.

2021 contestants Kirsty and Jesse say this year seems like a “walk in the park.” Picture: Jonathan Ng

“What are the contestants meant to do with all this help, take a stroll?” asked another.

“Why not just build it for them? The block is a long way from where it started. Its all about styling,” complained another viewer under a post detailing the new rules this season.

“I feel like previous season competitors will be watching this season and thinking it’s much easier than past seasons. Essentially ‘whole’ houses, an indoor bed from night one (previous seasons have camped for the first little while), sparkies & plumbers paid for, knowing the schedule,” wrote another.

“So all they do this season is paint and decorate,” said another.

But Cam has made no secret of the fact The Block producers wanted this season of the show to have a lightness often missing during last year’s mammoth – and at times, miserable – build in Gisborne, north of Melbourne.

That season that saw disastrous auction results for several teams and a lot of angst as contestants struggled with the elements and the remote setting.

“It was a tough year last year in Gisborne. We got in and got it done, but it was cold and wet – it rained for 60 days out of 90. Constant drizzle … that breaks ya,” Cam told Hughesy, Ed & Erin last week.

“This year’s been fantastic – we’re back. There’s a footpath to walk between [the houses]! Great contestants, great location, great weather – it’s reinvigorated everyone.”