The new season of The Block is set to premiere on Sunday.
And the show’s executive producer and creator, Julian Cress, has spoken about the latest series and how the coronavirus pandemic affected production.
Julian told TV Tonight that things will be remarkably different on The Block this year, but they’re confident they have a ‘damn good show’.
‘We knew we had a damn good show’: The Block creator Julian Cress (right) talked the new series this week and revealed how the coronavirus pandemic ‘took a heavy toll’ on production
The 2020 season of The Block will be unlike any other due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Production was brought to a grounding halt in March, with the cast and crew returning to the show’s new $15million site in Melbourne’s Brighton in May, with extra precautions in place.
Julian said they have some interesting and dramatic footage thanks to the pandemic.
‘They’re watching press conferences and then finishing a bathroom’: Julian said they have some interesting and dramatic footage thanks to the pandemic. Pictured are hosts Scotty Cam and Shelley Craft
‘Imagine you’ve got contestants who are watching the Prime Minister’s press conference together in the morning, and then having to finish the bathroom in the afternoon,’ Julian said.
‘All of that uncertainty, that trepidation and emotion around being away from your children, having to finish a bathroom, delivered for the judges, was all being filmed by our cameras every day.’
He added: ‘So we knew we had a damn good show, the trick was would COVID stop us being able to finish it?’
Julian said that the pandemic took a ‘heavy toll’ on the show as with COVID restrictions and lockdowns, he had to put off some of the crew. Builders were allowed onset meaning no job losses there.
Trying times: Julian said that the pandemic took a ‘heavy toll’ on the show as with COVID restrictions and lockdowns, he had to put off some of the crew. Builders were allowed onset meaning no job losses there. The cast are pictured
He said that when cast and crew returned to the site, they had to follow a strict 4 square metre rule and had to get a flu shot before returning.
He also praised the cast and crew for going back to The Block set during such uncertain times.
It comes after host Scott Cam told Realestate.com.au that he was unsure about what may happen to production on the 2021 season.
When asked whether there’s been ‘any word yet’ on filming for 2021, the 57-year-old said: ‘It’s too early to tell – I have no idea about next year and what the story is.’
‘It’s too early to tell’: It comes after host Scott Cam told Realestate.com.au that he was unsure about what may happen to production on the 2021 season
‘I don’t even know about this year’s auction. It’s in November, and we still aren’t sure! Hopefully, in three months time things are different, but you never know.’
Scott explained how the 2020 season will be different in an interview with The Daily Telegraph’s Stellar magazine on Sunday.
He said: ‘Our show is a construction and real estate show, but this year I think it’s also a bit of a documentary about what Australia has gone through.
‘We did five weeks [of filming] and shut the whole thing down for six weeks, which has never been done before, and then we had to work out how to come back.
‘That was a really difficult thing, so when we do come back, it’s a very different show again.’
Extra precautions have been taken on set as a result of COVID-19, Scott told Stellar.
There is a clinic with a full-time nurse, temperature checks and flu shots.
For this year’s season, five rundown houses dating from the 1930s to 1960s were relocated to a $15million plot of land in Brighton.
Teams have been tasked with renovating one of the old properties, bringing it into the 21st century.
The Block premieres Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine
The site: For this year’s season, five rundown houses dating from the 1930s to 1960s were relocated to a $15million plot of land in Brighton (pictured)