The Block’s Tanya hints at big TV return in bombshell new interview

She was perhaps the most-hated woman on Australian TV this year - but in a candid new interview, Tanya reveals she has no regrets.

She’s one of the most controversial contestants The Block has ever seen, having incited a fierce backlash amid the show’s explosive cheating scandal this year.

But Tanya Guccione is nothing but positive about her stint on the show, has “no regrets” — and is even ready to return to TV screens in 2022.

It all comes after she admitted to trying to quit the show several times during filming.

Speaking to news.com.au in a brand new interview about her memorable stint on the show, Tanya — who came in third in House 3 with her husband Vito after being at the centre of the production schedule drama — now says The Block was “one of the best things she’s ever done”.

Tanya is reflecting on her tumultuous journey on The Block.

Describing her surprise and delight that The Block’s latest season became “all about House 3”, Tanya said Nine executives have even hinted there’ll be a place for her again in the future.

“I don’t think based on that season that we’ll be going away any time soon,” Tanya said.

“We’ve had some laughs and some giggles with Julian Cress and some Nine executives and they’re nothing but grateful. They’re like ‘It’s because of you guys that we had a cracker season’,” she added.

While Tanya admits the “cheating scandal” she was embroiled in — which saw her take a photo of the show’s secret production schedule and deny it all season only to admit the truth in the final — was wrong, she said she felt her portrayal was “a bit unfair”.

However, reflecting on it months later, Tanya now finds it “funny” that she and Vito became the centre of attention, slamming the diehard fans who criticised her.

“They made the show all about me,” she said with a laugh.

“It’s kind of funny. It wasn’t the prettiest portrayal, but there were a lot of big personalities on there and for some reason the camera was always at bloody House 3!

“At the end of the day, people kept watching and loving the drama.”

Tanya admitted to taking the production schedule photo in the final episode.

Tanya spills on potential return

With her first foray into reality TV stardom landing her the dreaded “villain” edit, makeup artist and mum Tanya says going on The Block was “absolutely worth it.”

“I don’t regret it for a second,” she said.

“It was crazy and wild but honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done. It took our capacity to the limit, I accomplished things that I never thought possible, it was an amazing life experience and learning curve, and I earnt a lot about myself and a lot about TV.”

Taking her new-found knowledge of the reality TV machine with her, Tanya hopes to take another crack at it someday soon.

“I might end up on the show next year handing out paintings,” she said after her own art was selected to be sold in The Block shop.

“There is that theatre of ‘Oh here we go, this girl again’ … (So) the purple haired bandit could strike again!” she joked.

Tanya aka ‘The Purple-Haired Bandit’ could be back again.

“Drama is what makes bloody good TV, you morons,” she teased of viewers who complained about her cheating.

“(The producers) allowed it to happen and I got away with it for a reason.”

It’s taken hindsight for Tanya to arrive at this sentiment, having previously opened up about death threats and nasty messages sent to her husband’s window business.

At the time, she admits it was unpleasant, but her strong network has kept her grounded — along with the realisation that The Block’s superfans can be intense.

Backlash has been ‘water off a duck’s back’

“We did pursue the letters that were sent to Vito’s business and give them to police, but there’s not a lot they can do,” Tanya said of the threatening messages she and Vito received.

“It’s really sad but you never know the actual source of things like this which is a real shame because they really inflict quite a lot of pain and fear and they totally get away with it.”

At the peak of the vicious trolling, Tanya admits she was in “a dark place”, explaining that it was comments about her and Vito’s parenting that hit hardest.

“When you’re in the centre of the storm it feels quite dark, having feelings like the whole nation is coming for you and all these people hate you.

“(People would say things like) ‘Imagine if these were your parents and they’d done something like this’,” she recalled.

Tanya implored her followers to "be kind" after the final episode of The Block aired in November.

“Honestly, could you really put your hand up and say you’ve never done anything wrong or anything bad? No one’s perfect.

“We’ve had private chats with our kids about what really happened and they’re fine. They know their mum and dad,” she added.

Tanya said she was surprised to learn how strong The Block’s fanbase really is.

“There are superfans out there and I didn’t realise. You’d get people flying in from Darwin just to walk the street and say hello and grab a photo and it was quite surreal.

“They’re almost a bit crazy, they feel like they have this ownership of the show, and if you do something wrong, it’s like you’ve done it to them.

“To be honest I do believe that trolls are the minority, but the minority are always the loudest. These are probably just people who wish they had the balls to go on The Block,” she added.

Tanya went on to reveal that a number of viewers demanded they donate the profit of their house sale, marvelling over how “extremely invested” the fans had become.

Response to calls to donate winnings

Tanya and Vito, who were third in the auction line up and came in third overall, made exactly $400,000 and one cent.

Their property had a $3.4m reserve, and sold for $3.8m (and one cent).

Responding to suggestions the couple should have donated their winnings in light of the cheating saga, Tanya was blunt.

“We were there and doing all the work, so to the people who have said things like ‘we should have donated our money.’ No mate, I ran all the way to the bank with that.

“We copped a lot of flack from a lot of people — we got crucified on TV — so we were more deserving than most to be honest,” she added.

The couple came in third on auction day.

Tanya responds to Scotty Cam’s sledge

In the midst of the cheating scandal, host Scott Cam didn’t hold back when offering his take on the situation, calling it “unAustralian”.

“We adore Scotty Cam and Keith and Dan,” Tanya said when asked about his comments.

“I think they were genuinely disappointed because they had to reshuffle a few things … I don’t take any of it personally and I’m sure that he doesn’t either.

“He is the spokesperson for The Block, so people expect him to say what he has said so that’s all well and truly fair enough. It’s a fair call, it is un Australian,” Tanya agreed.

But the ‘Purple-Haired Villain’ couldn’t resist a dig at her fellow contestants.

“At the same, was it fair that they brought in people that had done it all before?” she asked.