Author: Olivia Shead

(Otherwise known as the one where editorial assistant Olivia Shead watches the Block finale and narrowly avoids having a heart attack. — Jen)

In a result I think it’s fair to say absolutely no-one saw coming, Steve and Chantelle took out The Block Fans vs Faves last night and to be honest, I’m not ready to accept it. Scott Cam says: “It’s the craziest night of television I’ve ever done.” For me, it’s the craziest night of television I’ve ever watched.

Okay, deep breath, let’s start at the beginning: the reserves. Kyal and Kara’s comes out highest at $1,900,000, minus the money from their challenge win and their final reserve is $1,872,750. Steve and Chantelle follow suit with a reserve of $1,850,000, down to $1,834,000. Brad and Dale’s goes from $1,830,000 to $1,802,750. And Alisa and Lysandra’s shrinks from $1,775,000 to $1,759,000.

At this point, I’m feeling good; my favourites the twins have a solid reserve, substantially lower than their competitors. Naively I’m thinking, let’s make it two wins for the girls.

Now we’re up to auction order and in the first surprise of many it goes shockingly well. The order is worked out amongst the teams in a total of 30 seconds: the boys first, followed by the Super Ks, the twins and lastly, Steve and Chantelle.

With that done, the auctions are ready to start and the boys are up. Down in the auction room (in other words the kitchen) the first person I spot is Frank. For committed Block fans (like me) you’ll remember him from Sky High, where he bid unsuccessfully for four out of the five apartments before finally securing Matt and Kim’s. He was certainly one to watch during last year’s auctions and the same can be said for these, but more on that later.

The boys’ auction goes fantastically well, they sell their apartment for $2,310,000 and break the record for the most money ever won on the show, going home with a sweet profit of $507,250. It seemed like no-one could dream of beating them, but that was definitely not the case.

Kyal and Kara are next and they shoot past the boys profit, selling their apartment for $2,440,000, taking a profit of $567,250. Ok, so surely no one could beat that? Wrong again!

Next are the twins and I feel my stomach drop. Like those that have gone before them, the bids go thick and fast. The girls are crying, I’m squealing and then it’s over. The twins sell their apartment for $2,375,000 and take home a mammoth profit of $616,000.

Now, only one couple stood in the way of the twins’ second Block win. Enter Steve and Chantelle. How could these underdogs possibly beat $616,000? The auction starts and once again it’s quick and this is where Frank comes into play. He’s now been bidding and unsuccessfully at that, for the last three apartments, so the question is, how desperate is he for the last one? Unfortunately for my dear twins, a lot! He’s going hard at it, and the profit margin between Steve and Chantelle and the twins is shrinking fast. They’re ten grand off the girls. First call. Come on, sell! Second call. Ad break.

Expletives may have been heard. The longest ad break of my life and we’re back.

A tiresome recap and then it’s down to the ten grand margin again. I’m praying it will sell, but alas it’s not meant to be. They pass the girls. Steve and Chantelle are in shock (I’m not surprised, even they must appreciate this is the biggest plot twist ever) and their apartment is sold for $2,470,000. A profit of $636,000 plus the $100,000 for winning and they go home with a tidy $736,000. Goodness gracious.

I don’t want to be a naysayer but I’m saying it anyway, being last was the victory move here. I think infamous Frank and all the other bidders were so desperate to get one of the apartments that they went a little crazy on the last one and for Steve and Chantelle, that meant winning. Congratulations to them and now, I need a cuppa and a lie down after reliving it!

Olivia

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