The Block 2020 is finally hitting our screens on August 23 – and it’s shaping up to be an absolutely incredible year.
This time around, five houses from different periods, including from turn-of-last-century to the 1950s, have been craned into position on a vacant lot in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Brighton, ready for five teams to completely renovate them over a 12-week period.
The Block 2020 contestants are ready to renovate. Picture: Channel Nine.
Production briefly shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions, but it started back up again in May, and in a stroke of luck, the cameras were able to remain rolling until Lockdown 2.0 was announced in June.
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s contestants:
1. Jimmy and Tam, QLD
Jimmy, 33, is a plumbing supervisor and one-time CrossFit trainer. Tam, 31, is a bar manager at her local bowlo – she’s been going there with her parents since she was two-years-old (her mum is a local bowls legend!).
Tam channels a retro style and is a self-confessed “op-shopping queen”, so expect to see nods to the past in the couple’s up-coming reno – as well as some fabulous retro hair quiffs.
Jimmy and Tam. Picture: Channel Nine
Where they live:
The pair normally reside in Brisbane
About the couple:
Jimmy was Tam’s CrossFit trainer. They met seven years ago. “He was complimenting me on my squats a little too much, I think,” Tam laughs. The couple were married at the bowling club where Tam works and they now have a four-year-old daughter, Frankie, who they’re devastated to be leaving behind for the three months of filming.
How they’re placed:
Tam’s great taste and ability to shop on a budget will be a huge advantage, while Jimmy’s on-the-job training as a plumber means he has intimate knowledge of how a worksite operates. “I think that will be an advantage for me, knowing the process of construction,” he says.
2. Sarah and George, NSW
Sarah, 27, is a high school teacher and George, 33, is an electrician with “13 years in the game.”
Sarah and George from NSW. Picture: Channel Nine
Where they live:
The outer suburbs of south west Sydney.
About the couple:
George and Sarah have been together for eight years and married for three. They don’t have any kids yet, but are keen to start a family – they were planning to start trying this year, but then The Block happened.
How they’re placed:
George’s considerable experience as an electrician means the couple stand to save stacks of money in the coming weeks. Their easy-going attitudes and ability to laugh at themselves are also qualities that should serve them well during their time on The Block. They’ve previously renovated two properties together.
3. Luke and Jasmine, WA
Luke, 35, is a chippy who has owned his own business for nine years. He’s also a sometime-model and is signed to Chadwicks Models. Jasmine, 36, is a kindergarten teacher.
Luke and Jasmin from WA. Picture: Channel Nine
Where they live:
This pair normally reside in Perth.
About the couple:
Together seventeen years, and with two kids, Lola, 4, and Sonny, 1, this ambitious couple first met at a student night in their local “dingy pub” in Perth! “I spotted him across the room and I actually went across and approached him,” said Jasmine.
How they’re placed:
Luke’s experience as a carpenter will come in handy, but as a team, they’re both incredibly driven. And with two small kids, they’re used to surviving on very little sleep.
4. Daniel and Jade, SA
Daniel, 35 and Jade, 34, are from rural South Australia. Daniel is a full time sheep and cattle farmer and Jade is a part time hairdresser. The couple has three children, Lincoln, 9, Hayden, 7 and Isla, 6.
This is their fourth time lucky applying for The Block.
Daniel and Jade, SA. Picture: Channel Nine
Where they live:
The pair normally reside in Wandearah, near Port Pirie – 250km north of Adelaide.
About the couple:
Jade has been a hairdresser for 17 years. She’s been married to her farmer husband Daniel for a decade. The couple has weathered their fair share of tough times – their daughter has a rare chromosome disorder that affects her speech and physical ability, which she has lived with since she was a baby. But this resilient couple just keeps on keeping on.
They have been hit particularly hard by drought in recent years, rendering the couple almost a million dollars in debt. “The drought started several years ago, and we’ve been doing it pretty tough since then,” says Daniel.
“It’s extremely stressful when you know you’ve got to keep the money coming in to keep going for the next year,” says Jade.
How they’re placed:
Daniel worked as a chippy for 16 years, so he has practical experience. But what will really see them through is their sheer tenacity – and this couple has it in spades. Daniel is incredibly handy, while Jade has a great eye for style.
5. Harry and Tash, VIC
“Let’s get one thing straight – Harry is my Dad!” says Tash, putting to bed to any suggestions they’re actually a couple (Tash has a partner, Brad).
This father/daughter duo are from Melbourne – Harry, 57, is Australian/Greek-Cypriot and works as an IT and telecommunications specialist. Tash, 32, is a production manager.
Harry and Tash are The Block’s first father/daughter team. Picture: Channel Nine
Where they live:
Harry lives in the suburb next to Brighton, giving them a huge home-town advantage. Tash only moved out of their family home last year.
About the pair:
Harry, who is married to wife Andrea, has always been incredibly close to Tash, the eldest of his brood. “We get on incredibly well – she’s my first-born,” he says.
They’ve been wanting to apply for The Block for years, but never quite got around to it. They say mum Andrea will be regularly popping in with dinner for them.
How they’re placed:
This incredibly close father/daughter combo is here to win. While they may occasionally disagree, their ability to work well as a team will put them in great stead for the competition. The Block’s first-ever father/daughter combo, they’re going to be great fun to watch.
THE BLOCK – SUNDAY 23RD AUGUST AT 7PM ON NINE AND 9NOW
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