‘WE FEAR FOR OUR KIDS’
RONNIE AND GEORGIA CONFESS
When Perth married couple Ronnie and Georgia Caceres applied for the 13th season of The Block, they knew they would have their fair share of detractors. But the renovation veterans had no idea that appearing on the hit Channel Nine show would result in strangers lashing out at their young children in shocking online attacks. ‘I don’t even read Facebook any more,’ Georgia reveals to New Idea. ‘There has been some pretty nasty stuff. There have been some threats towards our kids as well, which is just not on.’ The competitive pair are parents to Leo, five, Charlotte, two, and Ronnie’s eldest son from a previous relationship, 16-year-old Giordano.
And it’s their teenager who has taken the vitriol aimed at his parents the hardest – in particular, false rumours that their marriage is on the rocks.
‘We’ve had to sit him down over the last couple of weeks and teach him about social media, and these stories,’ Ronnie, 41, explains.
‘He’s only 16 and he’s going through exams at the moment, so he’s pretty stressed out.
‘He knows what me and Georgia are like and he knows that we’re rock solid.’
But Georgia interjects: ‘In saying that, 16-year-olds are really impressionable and we can tell him one thing, but whether he actually takes that in or not is another story.’
The 34-year-old mum admits she’s ‘concerned’ about her kids
THE CONTROVERSIAL BLOCK COUPLE OPEN UP ABOUT THE BRUTAL BACKLASH THEIR FAMILY HAS FACED
‘growing up in a world where it’s really easy just for people to hate on the keyboard’.
In a bid to keep their family unit strong while spending three months on the other side of the country filming The Block, Ronnie and Georgia decided to fly Giordano to Melbourne.
‘He thought it was cool we were going to be on TV, so he wanted to be a part of it,’ Ronnie recalls.
‘He’s 16 and he had his white card, so there’s no reason he couldn’t come and help!’
The budding renovator spent a week lending a hand during landscape week, which will air on TV in a few weeks.
‘It was hard work and we were both so proud of him,’ Ronnie says.
‘He’s been with us through all of our renovations and every reno I’ve taught him something new, a new trade. This wasn’t any different, so he was there for landscaping week.’
But by far their biggest struggles during the show weren’t to do with their alleged relationship woes or the stress of the reno, Georgia says it was missing their young kids that created the most difficulties.
‘We were away from our kids for 95 days, and when you think about it that way, that’s insane,’ she says.
‘They came over and that was amazing. It was almost harder having them there though, because it was so difficult to see them and then say goodbye to them. It was really hard.’
As for those rumours doing the rounds about their marriage being on the rocks, the couple of 12 years insist they’re ‘definitely stronger than ever’.
‘ The Block has certainly brought us closer and made us appreciate our lives more,’ Ronnie says.
‘I couldn’t have done this with anyone else. If we’ve survived 10 renovations together before The Block, another renovation was not going to tip us over the edge.’
In fact, the dynamic duo are so solid, they’re already on the hunt for their next renovation project!
‘We’re actually looking for another property to renovate as we speak,’ Ronnie reveals.
‘We really are addicted to renovating! We’re looking for an old-character property in Perth.’
By Holly Richards NI