The Block winners Jimmy and Tam were ‘terrified’ they wouldn’t sell

The Block’s Jimmy and Tam are now $1.066m richer – but the couple has admitted they doubted they’d even be able to sell their home.

It was a result nobody saw coming. In the middle of a pandemic, in a country in recession, and in a city emerging from a crippling months-long lockdown, winning Block couple Jimmy and Tam somehow just smashed the show’s auction day records.

After a fierce bidding war with IT millionaire Danny Wallis, mysterious young cyber security specialist Emese Fajk purchased the couple’s house for a whopping $4.256 million.

Her winning bid meant the Brisbane battlers cleared their reserve by a massive $966,000, then scored another $100,000 on top as prize money for winning the season. Their $1.066 million win is the biggest cash prize in Australian TV history.

But there were no losers this year, with even last-placing team Daniel and Jade going home $460,000 richer.

Instant millionaires Jimmy and Tam reel from their win.

RELATED: How The Block auctions unfolded

It’s a remarkable turnaround from the economic doom and gloom that’s permeated this season of The Block, with contestants forced to abandon work for a weeks-long coronavirus shutdown, only to return to work amid media reports of a soft property market.

Even the show’s executive producer Julian Cress had recently warned that it looked likely not all houses would sell.

Speaking to news.com.au after their win, Jimmy and Tam admitted they didn’t have high hopes for their auction.

“We’d been talking to our real estate agents, keeping an eye on what was happening with property, and we were all terrified, truthfully. It’s been a really uneasy time in Melbourne,” Tam said.

“But we had to be optimistic, because we believed in what we had created.”

Inside Jimmy and Tam’s luxurious home.

The Brisbane couple – Jimmy is a plumber and Tam is a 50s-loving bar manager – said they had a figure in mind they were hoping to clear on auction day. They wanted $100,000, enough money for a house deposit. They’ve walked away with more than 10 times that amount.

“Now, we’ve made enough money to buy one outright. It’s mind-blowing. It’s still sinking in – we’re just two normal people from Brisbane,” Jimmy said.

Appearing on Today this morning, the couple confirmed they’ll use their money to buy land and build their dream home. “That is what we want to do. That Lego challenge where we built the barn, that is a legitimate dream house for us so we would love to get some land and build a nice big barn,” they said.

RELATED: The Block’s mysterious winning buyer revealed

The Block contestants all went home happy this year.

So while they can now buy their dream home, the couple said they’re not about to jump into any big decisions, instead enjoying a well-earned break.

“We’re going to have the rest of the year off to relax and enjoy Christmas with our friends and family. I’ve been a hospitality worker for years, so I haven’t been able to have family time around Christmas. We’ll relax and have fun, and then next year … we’ve got some ideas. Watch this space,” Tam said.

“We’ve been put on such a great platform now that we need to take every opportunity we can, while we can, and just make the most of it,” Jimmy said.

Here’s how this year’s Block couples finished up at auction:

5th place – Daniel and Jade, $460,000 profit

4th place – Luke and Jasmin, $506,000 profit

3rd place – Harry and Tash, $650,000 profit

2nd place – Sarah and George, $650,002 profit

1st place – Jimmy and Tam, $966,000 + $100,000 prize money = $1,066,000 profit