Brothers Simon and Shannon Vos had a 'bittersweet' win, after the most uneven result in the show's history. Courtesy: Channel Nine
Even the gorgeous Simon and Shannon are upset for their fellow competitors. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia
I ABSOLUTELY love a dose of reality TV just as much as many of us.
Give me a few singers, some dodgy dancers, divers or some budding home renovators and I'll give any of these shows a viewing whirl. Perfect to take our minds off a day in the 'real' world.
But hang on a minute. When potential participants sign up for any kind of reality show, successful contestants need to enter into the commitment like they would a marriage — for better, for worse.
When I read that some of the The Block contestants were feeling shattered and peeved that their post-auction spoils and profits were so low (we are seriously talking a #firstworldproblem here) the first thing I thought? It's TV! Deal with it.
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Awwww. A visibly upset Maxine wipes her eyes at the end of a tough auction day. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia
Craft-work: The mood from co-host Shelley Craft is tense as Michael and Carlene's apartment is almost passed in. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia
An unusually sombre Deanne and Darren watch on after their apartment is auctioned. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia
A whopping 2,764,000 eyeballs (x2) tuned in to see some fairly flaccid auction results on last night's finale. Fantastic. (The ratings, not the results.)
But once you sign up for any of these shows, you have to deal with the end result. Good or bad.
Sure, for all the blood, sweat, tears and five months that every contestant put into the show, of course they would have all liked to have received something more from their 'journey'. (Sorry, there's that boring 'J' word.)
And yes, I'd be kinda miffed if I took off some months of unpaid leave from my job to be part of a reality show that, after the fat lady sang, I ended up receiving nothing out of it.
But that's showbiz! Reality TV IS entertainment. It's smoke and mirrors. It's total orchestration, usually dressed up as 'reality'.
Mind the mascara: Carlene wipes her eyes at the end of a tough auction day. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia
Huh? But what about the Block-heads? Scott Cam comforts Shelley Craft after a tough auction. Picture: Mark Stewart Source: News Corp Australia
Simon and Shannon talk about their experience on The Block and the physical toll it took on them.
The popular The Block reality franchise started 11 years ago in Sydney's Bondi and while this time it was a block in Melbourne's Prahan, not every season are all contestants going to go home as happy Blockheads.
With rumours swirling of contestants 'suing' Channel Nine for compensation after some of last night's poor profit results (you'd think we're were talking BHP share results here) the network has said it won't be coughing up.
And so it shouldn't.
"While we hope that all contestants walk away with a financial reward for the time and effort they commit to The Block, it is the buying public that determines the outcome of this program," said Michael Healy, Director of Television for the Nine Network.
"I'd like to thank the contestants for their remarkable achievements in producing these incredible apartments, as well as the very talented crew who produced this series, which has been a massive ratings success."
Two of the teams, Dee and Darren and Michael and Carlene, pocketing just $10,000 in an "awful" anticlimax, Dee told Kyle and Jackie O on radio this morning. "It was a completely unexpected result for all of us."
The outspoken Blockhead revealed the financial toll taken on the couple since filming, saying the pair are "in the red" since filming began six months ago.
"Not only did we not come away with anything but people have to understand we all put our lives on hold," she said.
"We started filming in April, we're in October, none of us have earned any money.
"Michael and Carlene and Daz and I all have mortgages, it's an expensive exercise to take the risk and go on that show. It's really not a great scenario.
"We're in the red from it."
Sorry guys, we're sure you're all really, really nice people, but you CHOSE to be a part of it. No-one forced you to sign up.
news.com.au's editor Daniel Sankey (who moonlights as a number cruncher) did the sums and for 70 days on the job, seven days per week (over 10 weeks) at 16 hours on the tools per day, Dee and Darren and Michael and Carlene were paid $10.71 an hour each.
According to Sankey, that's almost $6 less than Australia's minimum wage, at $16.87/hour.
The figure is based on the couple's $10,000 prize money plus $700 per week earnings that Nine pays each contestant while on the show.
This is in comparison to brothers Simon and Shannon, paid $200.44 an hour each, based on $335,000 profit, $100,000 winner's cheque and $7000 each from Channel Nine.
So, the take home message to anyone going on a reality show: there isn't always a happy ending.
Kind of like a marriage.
Really.
Follow Melissa on Twitter and Instagram @melissahoyer
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