Challenge twist hits reno reality show The Flip Off

A surprise return in Christina Haack’s reality home reno show The Flip Off has stunned viewers and infuriated her competition.

Christina Haack was happy to mess with her ex-husband and his wife on The Flip Off.

Christina Haack’s estranged spouse, Josh Hall, has made an uncomfortable return to her hit HGTV show “The Flip Off,” just weeks after he was unceremoniously kicked off the reality series amid their bitter divorce battle.

The surprise inclusion comes just days after Haack delisted her $US4.5 million ($A6.9 million) farmhouse again as Hall continues his legal battle to block the sale.

Hall, 43, and Haack, 41, announced in July that they had separated after less than three years of marriage — and just weeks after the cameras had started rolling on their new show, in which they were meant to be taking part in a renovation battle against Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa.

In the wake of their split, Haack decided to go it alone, relying on guest stars and friends to help her face off with her former husband, Tarek, and his wife.

However, in the newest episode of “The Flip Off,” Hall made a surprise appearance in older footage that had been taped when he was still working with Haack on the renovation. His on-air resurrection left something of a bitter taste in Tarek’s mouth — prompting the reality star to take aggressive action in order to make his feelings about Hall crystal clear.

MORE: TV star Haack’s bitter divorce after ex blocks $7m

Haack and Hall have been undergoing a very public split on the show, social media and in court.

The drama began when Tarek and Heather discovered on day four of their home’s two-week living room renovation that, due to building codes, they’d need to remove an entire window, setting back their projected timeline by at least a week.

So, the couple — who were declared the challenge winners in weeks one and two — are forced to ask Haack for an extension, something that Tarek, in particular, is loathe to do.

“I hate asking her for anything. I really, really do. It really hurts my pride,” he admits in a confessional.

Luckily, Haack agrees to the extra week, but only under one condition: Tarek and Heather have to incorporate a mystery item of her choosing into their house, a condition they readily agree to.

Unbeknown to them, however, the mother of three has a plot in mind to try and “mess with” the duo — revealing that the mystery item she plans to give them is an old dining room set that Hall salvaged during the early stages of the show.

Hall salvaged the dining set before he left the show.

At this point, a clip filmed nine weeks earlier flashes up, showing Hall in the home, working on trash removal and examining the dining room table.

“This table looks good underneath,” he says. “Crazy enough, I’m going to save this table, I’m going to repurpose it.”

The table is worn and very dated, so Haack knows it would be difficult to incorporate it into the space‚ making it the perfect piece to aid her plan to sabotage Tarek and Heather’s renovation.

Unsurprisingly, Tarek is less than thrilled when Haack and her contractor, Michael Lange, deliver the table and chairs to his flip, asking immediately: “What is this crap?

“Is this Josh’s bull —? Oh my God. There’s no way I’m putting that crap in our house, there’s no way.”

The dust dining set infuriated Tarek.

Heather is equally horrified by the table and chairs, simply, stating: “No, That’s disgusting,” as Tarek continues to complain: “This sh — is all busted up and broken!”

“[Josh] was gonna use this in your house?” Heather then asks Haack. “You’re lucky he’s gone, oh my God!”

Despite Heather and Tarek’s protests, Haack and Lange finish unpacking the furniture and leave it on kerb outside the house so the couple can figure out a way to try and add it to their home design.

Luckily, Tarek comes up with an idea: to put the furniture through a wood chipper and use the wood pieces as decorative mulch in the living room.

On judging day, when Tarek and Heather reveal their solution to Haack, Tarek tells Haack, “R.I.P. Josh — Sorry!”

After reviewing the spaces, guest judge Amanza Smith of “Selling Sunset” fame declares that Haack’s living room is the winner.

Hall was removed from The Flip Off promotional material as the split became apparent.

While Tarek and Heather have a lovely space, Smith complains that a pendant light is misplaced and their media wall was unimpressive.

Meanwhile, Haack’s living room underwent a serious transformation, going from a cramped, small space to an open-concept, elegant sitting area with a stylish electric fireplace.

“Enjoy your night as the losing team,” Haack tells Tarek and Heather as she leaves.

Annoyed, Tarek tells Haack, “I’m gonna block you. Don’t send me any f — ing videos.”

Haack counters: “I already blocked you, and so you can’t block me,” adding, “Bye, second place!”

The episode ends with a clip from next week’s instalment, in which Haack’s other ex-husband, Ant Anstead, is the guest judge. So, while it seems Hall is off the show for good now, we’re certainly not done with appearances from Haack’s former beaus.