“I Hope They Don’t Need Their Car!” Foreman Dan Just Did the UNTHINKABLE to The Block Contestants!
Week one of The Block is only just getting started, but tempers are already fraying after Foreman Dan proved he isn’t bluffing when it comes to the show’s tough new rules.
Tuesday night’s episode saw one team learn that the site’s strict 6pm knock-off time means exactly that – after Courtney and Sev were left stranded when they missed the deadline by just one minute.
The pair had been scrambling to pack up after another frantic day on site, but despite their best efforts they didn’t make it out before the gates were locked.
‘I hope they don’t need their car tonight,’ an annoyed Dan said as he shut the gate with their vehicle still trapped inside.
‘6:00 means 6:00, not 6:02. The gates are locked, you are going to have to get a lift with someone,’ Dan told the best friends.
The harsh lesson came as contestants continued racing to finish insulation ahead of crucial inspections.
Week one of The Block is only just getting started, but tempers are already fraying after Foreman Dan proved he isn’t bluffing when it comes to the show’s tough new rules
Courtney and Sev had already been feeling the pressure, worried their overwhelmed building team was on the verge of walking off the job.
‘It was 6:01pm when we were loading into our car, and Dan locked the gates on us! So car got trapped inside and he said, “You guys are going to have to find your own way home, you’re not taking the car, too bad”,’ a frustrated Courtney and Sev shared.
Fortunately, the pair’s plasterer gave them a lift home as they resolved to try harder the following day.
The Block is back for 2026 and its contestants are already facing a major new hurdle before the first room has even been judged.
Host Scott Cam unveiled sweeping changes during Sunday night’s premiere, revealing a new House Decider challenge and strict council-imposed work-hour restrictions at the Mount Eliza worksite.
‘What I’ve got here, you’re not going to believe,’ Cam teased as he unveiled the season’s 12-week renovation schedule, floor plans – and the rules that could determine who walks away a winner.
The biggest shake-up to the long-running Channel Nine home reno show comes immediately.
Rather than moving straight into their homes, the five teams will spend the opening week renovating a guest bedroom in a property they may not even end up keeping.
Tuesday night’s episode saw one team learn the hard way that the site’s strict 6pm knock-off time means exactly that – after Courtney and Sev were left stranded when they missed the deadline by just one minute
Courtney and Sev had already been feeling the pressure, worried their overwhelmed building team was on the verge of walking off the job. ‘It was 6:01pm when we were loading into our car, and Dan locked the gates on us!’ they later said
The winners of the first room reveal will earn first pick of the five luxury homes, while the team finishing last will be left with whichever property remains.
The biggest surprise, however, is a new set of time restrictions that could dramatically alter the pace of the competition.
In line with local council requirements, tradies and contestants will only be allowed on site from 7am to 6pm on weekdays, with reduced hours of 9am to 3pm on Saturdays.
Meanwhile, Sundays will be reserved exclusively for judging.
‘It’s going to be tough. You’ll be working the same restricted council hours as everyone else in Mount Eliza,’ Cam warned the contestants.