Block star Tess hits back over ‘abuse’ claims

Hot-headed Block contestant Tess’ threats to punch her husband left viewers shocked — but she insists she’s not a violent person.

The Block contestant Tess has hit back after some of her heated comments to husband Luke on the show raised eyebrows among viewers.

The newlyweds have been having a tough time of it so far this season on The Block, with tensions running high as they’ve been forced to present unfinished rooms to the judges.

That anger has spilt over into ugly threats to Luke, 30, from his wife of less than a year.

“F**k you’re a d**khead,” Tess, 28, snapped at him after a dispute over paint.

“Honestly, I could knock you out square in the face and punch you.”

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Speaking to 9Entertainment today, Tess said that her comments were a by-product of the extreme conditions on The Block: “When you’re very sleep-deprived and you’re frustrated and angry you definitely say things that you don’t mean.

Tess and Luke have been at each other's throats.

“I don’t condone violence at all. Luke and I are in a very loving relationship and I absolutely think the world of him and I’m not a violent person at all.”

Tess apologised to “anyone offended” by her comments and insisted her husband knew her threats were only in jest.

“I know that he (Luke) did not think that I would ever touch him. I would never touch anybody, but it’s just words that you say when you’re so frustrated,” she told 9Entertainment.

Yesterday, news.com.au published an opinion piece by writer Alex Carlton who argued that, joking or not, threats spousal violence are “never, ever OK”.

“Tess, I know you think you were joking. I know you think you were just frustrated. I know you believe you’d never physically hurt your husband,” Carlton wrote.

“But violent threats, especially in a domestic partnership, are never, ever OK. It’s abuse. And according to Relationships Australia, it’s unacceptable abuse and something that should be taken very seriously.”