The Block (season 11)

The Block (season 11)
Country of origin	Australia
No. of episodes	47
Release
Original network	Nine Network
Original release	6 September – 25 November 2015
Season chronology

The eleventh season of Australian reality television series The Block premiered on 6 September 2015 on the Nine Network. Scott Cam (host) and Shelley Craft (Challenge Master) return from the previous season, as did the three judges: Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer. The first preview was shown on August 4, 2015.^[1] This season was also known by the name The Block: Blocktagon, but was the first since the second season to not include the season title on-screen.

Production

Nine renewed The Block for an eleventh season in April 2015, with production commencing in May 2015. The season was announced as going 'back-to-basics' after ratings declines during the tenth season, seeing episodes cut from 90 to 60 minutes, fewer episodes, the eliminations will be removed and Thursday night episodes dropped.^[2][3]

Filming for the eleventh began on 15 May 2015. The season renovated the former Hotel Saville in South Yarra - an octagonal, eight floor brick building.^[4]

Co-creator Julian Cress said that this season of The Block will have no tradies and only passionate do-it-yourself couples, in other seasons of The Block, at least one person in each team has a trade. The change comes in the new direction in the back-to-basics change to the season, he said viewers will relate more to the characters who are big on spirit but small on skills when the show returns later this year.^[5]

The Blocktagon building is now listed in the international list of Octagonal Buildings & Structures.

Contestants

The Block: Blocktagon is the third season to have five couples instead of the traditional four couples.

Score history

Results

Room reveals

Judges' scores

Colour key:

     Highest Score

     Lowest Score

Challenge Apartment

Contestants	Rooms	Prize Money	Decision
			Repair Apartment	Money Off Reserve
Dean & Shay	Bedroom 3 Ensuite & Living Room	$15,000
Kingi & Caro	Bedroom 3 & Study/Laundry/ Powder Room	$10,000
Luke & Ebony	Bedroom 2 & Kitchen	$5,000
Andrew & Whitney	Bedroom 2 Ensuite & Dining Room	$0
Suzi & Voni	Master Ensuite & Master Bedroom

Challenge Scores

Auction

Ratings

Controversy

On 10 November 2015, it was reported that contestant Suzi Taylor had collapsed on set, a Nine Network spokeswoman Victoria Buchan said: "Suzi was suffering from exhaustion after a busy day with The Block open for inspections.",^[54] but on 12 November 2015, Ms Taylor had a photo captured of her naked on a boat after oaks day in Melbourne,^[55] it had then been reported that her collapse was caused by "non-stop partying" throughout the Spring Racing Carnival and not exhaustion, due to this Ms Taylor "canned" by Nine with all her promtional commitments being cut off until after the auction.^[56][57]

Ms Taylor has since been threatened to lose her payout of $174,500 after ignoring the terms her contract which states she shall not undertake any media interviews without the program's consent until her contract with Channel Nine is up.^[58]

Notes

• ^a Ratings data used is from OzTAM and represents the live and same day average viewership from the 5 largest Australian metropolitan centres (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide).
• ^b Luke & Ebony were former elimination contestants on Triple Threat, but they did not make it through
• ^c Aired on Monday due to NRL Grand Final
• ^d In the Coffee Challenge, teams had to create a cafe concept which will be created on the first level of The Block, Luke & Ebony and Andrew and Whitney both won. The cafe will have a combined name of both of their cafe names, Luke & Ebony "Mr Bisley", Andrew & Whitney "A Shot of Zen" will become "Mister Zen"
• ^e Shay and Dean received low scores because they couldn't finish their room due to swapping their Living Room with the kitchen
• ^f Re-Do Rooms:
  Kingi & Caro - Living Room
  Dean & Shay - Living Room & Foyer
  Andrew & Whitney - Master Bedroom
  Suzi & Voni - Living Room & Foyer
  Luke & Ebony- Master Bedroom & Foyer
  The winner of this room received $10,000 to put in their apartment which is a gift to the buyer of their apartment
• ^g The contestants have 2 choices with the prize money they have won. these are:
  •Spend the money to fix their apartments or;
  •Take it off their reserve
• ^h Timeslot changed due to the Cricket Test
• ⁱ Aired on Monday due to Cricket Test
• ^j In order of winning, the contestants chose their auction order
• ^k Along with being first to pick their auction order, the winner will receive a brand new Suzuki Grand Vitara to go in their Apartments garage which will be a gift to the buyer of their apartment
• ^l Andrew & Whitney announced during the Grand Final that they had ended their relationship

References