The Block NZ
| The Block NZ | |
|---|---|
Logo for Season 5
|
|
| Created by | Julian Cress David Barbour |
| Presented by |
|
| Judges |
|
| Country of origin | New Zealand |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 186 (as of 14 August 2016) |
| Production | |
| Location(s) |
|
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | TV3 |
| Picture format | |
| Original release | 4 July 2012 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The Block NZ is a New Zealand reality show based on the popular Australian reality television series The Block. The first season premiered on TV3 on 4 July 2012.
The show is hosted by former Black Cap Mark Richardson and Shelley Ferguson, while Peter Wolfkamp serves as site foreman. It follows four couples as they compete against each other to completely renovate, room by room, four neighbouring houses in Auckland, and then sell them at auction. Each couple keeps any profit made on the house, and the winner receives a bonus cash sum.
The current main sponsors are hardware chain PlaceMakers, car manufacturer Honda, AMP bank, and restaurant franchise Pita Pit. Throughout seasons 1–2, car manufacturer Mazda was also a main sponsor, but for season 3, the sponsorship was awarded to car manufacturer Honda. Other previous sponsors include Bunning's Warehouse and BP's Wild Bean Cafe.
The series premiered in Australia on 9Go! on 12 August 2012.
The show was initially announced on 24 February 2012, when a casting call went out and saw over 1,000 couples apply. The four couples selected for the first season were announced on the official Facebook page on 17 June 2012.
The series differs from the original Australian version in several ways. In the New Zealand version, the final contestants have been pre-determined by the show's producers. This contrasts to the Australian version, where the final couples are decided from a shortlist in an elimination week. In the New Zealand version, the show aired twice a week in the first season, thrice a week in the second season, and four times a week in the third season, as opposed to the Australian show's Sunday to Thursday schedule. In all four seasons thus far, there are challenges to determine auction order rather than contestants deciding amongst themselves, or being randomly drawn out, and the final challenge winners never have prices knocked off the original reserve price.
...
Wikipedia