The Block contestants reveal what it’s REALLY like behind-the-scenes on the renovation show

It’s been one of Australia’s most popular renovation television shows for 16 seasons and counting.

And now, contestants from this season of The Block have revealed what it’s really like behind-the-scenes of the Channel Nine show.

Sarah and George told Daily Mail Australia most of the hard work is actually done after filming ends.

‘During the day, it’s very hard when you have 30 people in one room, and that’s when project managing comes in, and as soon as they leave, we’re up for the next 12, 13, 14 hours a night, doing it all behind the scenes,’ George said.

‘But in saying that, without a good team, you can’t do the show. It’s a two-way street,’ he said.

Sarah also went on to reveal the contestants have never met the show’s judges Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer.

‘We never actually got to meet the judges because they didn’t want bias, but in terms of the foremen, we got along well,’ she said.

‘Everything on the show is such drama, and like anything, there’s going to be issues, but you just fix them and you move on,’ Sarah explained.

Meanwhile, the show’s first ever dad and daughter team, Harry and Natasha Pavlou, revealed not all the arguments and meltdowns make it to air.

‘Natasha and I, we don’t fight. We may have some disagreements,’ Harry said.

‘But if we’ve had a disagreement during the day, at the end of the day, we’ve always come and hugged it out… It’s been an absolutely amazing experience with Natasha.’

He added: ‘I’ve actually seen a side of her I’ve never seen before. Her resilience and her determination, I’ve never seen. Very proud.’

The show’s down to earth couple Jimmy and Tam said each team does just as much work as their tradesmen.

‘Believe it or not, we actually do a lot of work. We are nonstop. The times you see us just holding a coffee or whatever is literally our five minutes of downtime when we can get it,’ Jimmy said.

‘But other than that whether Tam’s out shopping or I was on the tools just getting the job done, we were working the whole time. But we do rely on our tradies a lot.’

Meanwhile, Daniel and Jade revealed the memorable behind-the-scenes moments viewers didn’t see.

‘I think the show had to work pretty hard this year to capture the fights that they did. We caught up every night for pizzas and beers between breaks, and I think we were a really level-headed group,’ Jade joked. 

‘What you see is what you get. You couldn’t get any closer to reality than The Block.’ 

Dynamic Perth duo Luke and Jasmin also agreed, explaining viewers weren’t shown the friendships the couples developed.

‘You guys didn’t see the friendship at nighttime. Once the cameras left, that’s when all the fun started. That’s when we could start listening to music, have a beer with each other in between paint coats,’ Luke said.

He also said ‘another thing that didn’t get shown is that my dad helped me finish The Block, and I don’t think that’s ever happened in the past’.

‘My dad actually came over, he’s got a trade background. He thought he was coming here to have a big family reunion, but I had him working. Why not? He proved to be an invaluable team member that week, and he got us over the line.’

It comes as this year’s Block contestants gear up for the final auction, which will air on Nine this Sunday.

The show’s executive producer Julian Cress told MediaWeek the auctions will be filmed under COVID-safe restrictions, with only 10 people plus the agent present.

‘Sadly, three of those people have to be camera operators which cuts it down to seven,’ Mr Cress added.

‘Unfortunately, those auction restrictions ease up on Monday, but we have to complete the auction this weekend.

‘We will also have to be outdoors and we can have up to seven bidders at each of the auctions.’