The Block 2026 auction delivered massive results for this year’s teams, and for former contestants Emma and Ben, it was a lot to take in.
All five houses sold above reserve this year, with profits ranging from $367,000 to a whopping $1,270,000.
Winners Courtney and Sev walked away with the top profit after their house sold for $4.72 million, taking their total winnings to $1.87 million once prizes were added. Rick and Tayla made $905,000, Lisa and Rosco took home $550,000, Adam and Jolene made $455,000, and Chantel and Wyatt rounded out the field with $367,000.
It was a very different story for Emma and Ben last year. Their Daylesford home had a reserve of $2.99 million and bidding stalled at $2.97 million, just short of reserve, and a vendor bid of $3.1 million failed to bring in a buyer, so the house was passed in.
The house finally sold nine months later for $2.15 million, well below reserve and without a cent of profit for the couple, who were new parents at the time.
Emma and Ben react to The Block 2026 auction
Now, the pair tell Woman’s Day they found watching the auction an emotional experience.
“Honestly, it was a really emotional watch,” they say. “Having lived it, we know how much those teams put into their houses and how much is riding on that one day. We were cheering them on, but it brought back a lot of feelings about our own experience.”
While they were thrilled for this year’s contestants, Emma and Ben admit it wasn’t easy seeing such big paydays.
“You can be happy for someone else and still feel sad about your own outcome,” they say. “We know how hard they worked, and seeing that rewarded was lovely. But we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t difficult watching, knowing how much we also put into our experience. It brought up that disappointment again, and I think it’s okay to be honest about that.”
Would Emma and Ben return for The Block All Stars?
So, could they ever be tempted back for an All Stars season? It turns out the door is wide open, even with their son Bailey in the picture.
“If we were asked, our answer would definitely be a yes,” they say. “There’s a lot we’d have to think about, especially with Bailey now. We know exactly how much it asks of you, so it wouldn’t be a decision we’d take lightly, but it would be great to give it another crack.”
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