It’s a race to the finish line on The Block, but for married station managers Adam and Jolene the final week is being overshadowed by a tricky access problem with their neighbours in Houses 2 and 3.
Allowing the neighbouring teams access through their property causes significant delays to House 1’s landscaping, potentially putting a Front Yard Week win at risk.
“It made me anxious going in to judging,” Jolene, 42, tells TV WEEK. “The requirement was needed by Block builders Nine in Six – to do that for the other teams. Do I think it was wrong? Probably.”
With $50,000 off the auction reserve as the prize, tensions boil over and Jolene clashes with easy-going Adam, who keeps leaving the gate open to help their neighbours. But there’s a much bigger reason the situation is hitting so hard.
“We’ve lived away from our families for the past eight years or so,” Jolene explains. “That’s off the back of two separations, which cost a lot of money. To potentially move closer to our families, and closer to my mum who is not well, means there is a lot riding on this scenario.
“If we make enough money, it means we don’t have to go away and work remote again for a little while. It gives us breathing space.”
Despite the disagreement, Jolene insists their own relationship was never in jeopardy.
“Not for not one second did I think that it would damage our relationship,” Jolene declares. “I’m not going to say it’s made us any stronger. We really looked at the show like a job. We’re going in to contract a job, we’re united and our end goal is the same.”
So, would she handle the gate situation differently?
“Looking back, now we can see really some sh*tty comments made by our neighbours,” Jolene says. “If I had my time again, I would definitely lock it sooner!”
The Block airs Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 7pm on the Nine Network and 9Now.
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