Controversy over dobbing, real estate rivalry and a brewing scandal over unpaid bills has seen battle lines drawn between Ricky and Haydn and their neighbours Courtney and her hubby Grant (aka “Grumps”).

With two teams wanting to use Ray White to sell their houses (because the combination of agent Aaron Hill and auctioneer Tom Panos has proven a winner on The Block previously), Block boss Julien Cress paid Ricky and Haydn a visit to explain that sharing was not an option.

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Block showrunner Julian Cress tells Ricky and Haydn they can’t have the same real estate team as another team.

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“It’s like a jockey trying to ride down the straight at Melbourne Cup on two horses,” Cress explained. “It would be good to watch but it’s just not going to happen.”

And so, Ricky issued Hill with an ultimatum of “it’s them or us”.

Auctioneer Tom Panos with 2023 Block winners Gian and Steph.

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After some careful consideration, Hill devised a compromise. Panos would work with Courtney and Grant and Hill would join the boys’ team.

The solution didn’t exactly fill Courtney and Grant with confidence. But then again, nothing would have. Courtney was in a major slump after Foreman Dan called them out for dobbing on their neighbours for skipping a pre-work meeting.

Auctioneer Tom Panos is highly sought-after for this years auctions. Pictured with Adrian Portelli at the 2023 auctions.

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“I’m done with today. I am mentally drained,” she wept from behind a slammed door after a mini meltdown.

While Courtney felt unfairly targeted by Dan, there’s no doubting that she and Grant had form for throwing people under the bus. They had also told Dan to audit the other teams when they were caught stockpiling Gyprock.

Faced with accusations they haven’t paid their bills Courtney breaks down to Grant.

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Though the Sydney couple pleaded innocence, the footage proved otherwise (I still can’t understand why people deny doing and saying things when they are mic-ed up and being followed by a film crew).

Easy-going Ricky wasn’t impressed.

“There are two different ways to tackle something when you get in trouble,” Ricky said.

“You can take it on the chin or you can scramble and try to drag anyone else down with you. I personally wouldn’t go about it that way but that’s just Grumps for you.”

Ricky was also unimpressed to hear his glass supplier complain that Courtney and Grant hadn’t paid their invoice.

It’s not the first time that the couple have been accused of failing to cough up cash for their tradies.

“Being a plumber, I know what it’s like to not get paid,” Ricky said. “And it’s not a good feeling to put hard work in and your heart and soul in and then have someone blocking your calls and what not.”

This issue looks set to cause more tension between the teams in the week ahead but for now, Ricky and Haydn were focused on their ensuite.

Dan tells all the other teams about Grant’s dobbing.

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Remarkably, despite copping a roasting from the judges for their kitchen, the dynamic duo was still able to laugh about languishing on the leaderboard yet again.

Joking that he was going to spend the day “cowering in the corner and hating on everyone” Ricky said the top of his to-do list for ensuite week was “four hours of sulking followed by four hours of plotting against others.”

“And then we will drink our sorrows away tonight,” Haydn added.

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Faced with having to come up with a fresh concept for a third bathroom caused Mimi to hit the wall.

“You know how authors get writer’s block? That’s what it feels like. I have design block,” Mimi moaned before coming up with yet another variation of blue tiles and timber cabinetry.

Dan and Grant and Courtney have it out.

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For once, Kylie wasn’t furious about her feedback from judges Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Marty Fox. And with good reason. She and Brad had finally tasted victory, having edged out the sisters by half a point with their bonus penguin.

“I do love the kitchen but I also didn’t mind taking the win from the girls either,” she said as Brad nodded silently beside her like a cartoon villain henchman.

“Like, they didn’t design any part of it and when they get a win it should be on their own merits of what they’re doing and not from what Jesse and Paige have picked and done.”

She makes a fair point. All Charlotte and Maddy really had to do in kitchen week (aside from overseeing the build and selecting some tapware) was plonk some flowers in a vase and lay-out a few chopping boards.

Having come into the competition midway through main bedroom week and inherited Jesse and Paige’s kitchen lay-out and fitting selections, this week’s guest ensuite will be the first time the Sydney sisters have undertaken a room without the ghosts of contestants past hanging over them.

Let’s see if they sink or swim.

MISSED AN EPISODE?

EP 24: Grant, the master snitch

EP 22/23: ‘F..king brothel’: second Block builder quits

EP 21: Grant lets rip on “dog ugly” room

EP 20: ‘Can’t polish a turd’: Block judge lets rip

EP 18/19: ‘Paramount to cheating’: Scott Cam accuses Block team

EP 17: ‘Don’t give a f***’: Block team quits after producer steps in

EP 16: Abusive 1am phone call shocks entire Block

EP 14/15: “Snake… I’m not having you on site’: Block builder fired

EP 13: ‘F***ing walk off’: Block couple’s fight turns toxic

EP 12: ‘Arrogant’: Blockhead goes on a bender, cop huge judge spray

EP 10/11: ‘Rip it up’: Block’s biggest bathroom disaster ever

EP 9: ‘You never listen to me’: Block couple fall apart

EP 8: ‘This has become a joke’: Dan slams popular Block pair

EP 6/7: ‘F***ing wasting time’: Block couple set to quit

EP 5: ‘This has never happened’: Block team caught in fraud scandal

EP 4: ‘Childish, boring’: Block judges come in blazing

EP 3: Block builder already breaking rules incurs foreman’s wrath

EP 2: ‘Who the f**k wants to sleep near their kids?’ — Block couple baffled

EP 1: ‘Not good at anything’: Bathroom fireworks kick off on The Block