‘It’s all gone’: Shock twist in ongoing Block cash crisis
Unexpected disaster struck the couple you’d least expect on The Block last night — and the other teams’ reactions had viewers seeing red.
Budget issues finally caught up with The Block’s frontrunners Mitch and Mark during Monday’s episode, with the couple now fearing that they may not make it to auction.
The Bondi grandads and seasoned property flippers have been this season’s most successful Block team, scoring multiple cash prizes along the way for their luxurious ‘party house’ reno.
But it seems they may have splashed the cash a little too recklessly.
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During Monday’s episode, Mark takes the opportunity to run through the couple’s budget – and finds they’ve been hit with a couple of big bills that they weren’t expecting.
The bills are “so big that the team that has won the most room reveals has been pushed into the red,” says B lock host Scott Cam via voiceover.
Mitch and Mark estimate there are around $16,000 in unexpected bills – leaving them anywhere between $2000 and $10,000 in the red.
“It’s all gone. We’ve had big plumbing bills and big power bills,” Mark tells his partner over the phone, instructing him to return any of his latest purchases.
Not yet grasping the seriousness of the situation, Mitch asks what money’s still coming in.
“That’s it. It’s all gone. We shut down now. Everything’s gone,” says Mark.
“We’ve got no money to pay trades this week, so we’ve got to let everyone go?” asks Mitch.
Describing the situation as “gutting”, Mark goes to tell their tradies the bad news: There’s no money left to pay them. “I’m not happy. I’m not proud of myself,” he tells them, privately admitting he’s “embarrassed” by the budget blowout.
Back on the phone to Mitch, Mark vents about having to deal with their budget issues on camera. “I’ve got people with cameras on me waiting to have the full drama. But I’m not going to break down about it, we’re just going to get through it. We’re so close.”
The other teams – all of whom have already dealt with their own budget woes this season – react with shock as Mitch and Mark’s builders pack up and leave.
There are a few hard-to-hide smiles from the other teams, particularly perennial last-place getters Tess and Luke.
“They’ve won something like $30,000 in the past couple of weeks?” says Tess. “It’s about time they had a taste of what poor felt like. Welcome. Welcome to the peasant side!”
El’ise can’t help but gloat a little. “They’ve won $55,000. We’ve won $23,000. Big difference. Huge difference! They’ve definitely isolated themselves a lot in the last month. Do we show the people we are and all chip in and help, or do we do what they’ve been doing (to us)?”
Viewers were divided over Mitch and Mark’s sudden budget crisis — some feeling they only had themselves to blame, while others slammed contestants like Tess and Luke for revelling in their misfortune:
You would think that the other houses would have better things to do then stand around and gossiping about the finances of house 1 #TheBlock
— Emma M (@Superficialowl) October 28, 2019
The schadenfreude shown by the other contestants toward #MitchandMark was really disgusting. To kick someone while their down is the lowest thing you can do. Even the editing of the show tried pour it on the guys. #shame #TheBlock
— TheEgalitarian (@CatmanForever) October 28, 2019
Question...how did the Suncorp accountant not calculate this in her usual chat about budget budget budget...like...I actually donât understand how this happened and where the money went... #TheBlock
— KaShaz (@ksos23) October 28, 2019
And the nerve of Tess, just last week she needed the boys to swap plasterers for her shitty Freedom voucher that they didnât even need!!#theblock
— pitamø (@M0SCHIM0) October 28, 2019
Pleasure at someone elseâs misfortune is a very ugly trait, Tess #TheBlock
— georgia (@georgia98732012) October 28, 2019
At least Mitch and Mark are getting on with it and didnât have a tantrum to get sympathy and help for nothing so you didnât have to work - Tess #theblock
— Lynette Shaw (@lynnie_shaw) October 28, 2019
Later in the episode, and with Mitch back on site, it seems he and Mark’s dire financial situation has finally sunk in. “We’re f**ked. We can’t finish the house,” he says.
“Forget winning the auction – we might not get to f**king auction at this point.”
The Block airs 7:30pm Monday to Wednesday and 7pm Sundays.