Only weeks after filming on season 20 of The Block commenced earlier this year, the rumour mill began to swirl that a couple had dramatically quit.
Now, with the 2024 series almost upon us, Executive Producer Julian Cress has shed new light on why the yet-to-be-specified team voluntarily “left the series” so deep into production.
“Although we were renovating a holiday park, The Block certainly didn’t turn out to be a holiday for everybody,” he shared with TV Tonight ahead of the August 12 premiere.
“It was a very difficult decision for them to come to, but there was a very strong reason why they decided to do it, and very dramatic and will be unfolding in the coming weeks.”
Julian, who has been involved with the hit renovation reality series since its inception in 2003, added that the reasons the mystery team quit were “pretty remarkable” – and their decision to opt out would prompt “very interesting conversation amongst the audience.”
When the news first broke in mid-April, an insider source revealed to Yahoo Lifestyle that it was Jesse and Paige from Western Australia who had quit.
“They were definitely not kicked off the show though, it was on their own accord,” the source shared at the time.
“Producers felt blindsided by their decision to quit. It certainly wasn’t on their bingo card when they cast the season,” the insider added.
“None of the other teams had noticed anything too unusual and everyone was left gobsmacked when the Western Australian team fled Phillip Island.”
This isn’t the first time a couple has “quit” the popular show after influencer Elle Ferguson and former AFL player Joel Patfull exited the show after just two days of filming in 2022 due to a family matter.
According to media reports at the time, Joels’ mother broke her coccyx and fractured her wrist after a bad fall, the couple choosing to leave The Block in favour of spending time with their loved ones.
During their exit, Elle shared a poignant message in her Instagram story writing: “Wherever you are in the world, whatever you are doing, family always comes first.”
Longtime host Scott Cam painted the surprise exit in a different light, alleging the pair had given “no explanation” to production when they had left the competition.
“They never spoke to us, they just left in the middle of the night. I still don’t know why they left. They never mentioned [a] sick mother in the 48 hours before they left, or after they left,” the father of three shared with news.com.au in August of that same year.
“The executive producer spoke to them [after they left] and they didn’t mention [a] sick mother either.”
It’s not all negative, however, with Channel Nine already finding replacements for Jesse and Paige in Maddie and Charlotte who have yet to be formally introduced to audiences.
Notably, the girls took over renovating a property with rooms already completed – a first for The Block.
“It’s hard enough doing The Block when you’re coming in with maybe a couple of months’ notice. But when you’re coming in with 24 hours’ notice, it’s really tough,” Julian added.
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