It’s Lisa and Ribz versus the judges
The battle lines are drawn between The Block’s straight-talking couple and the two people handing out scores in this year’s series. Kylie Klein-Nixon reports.
The Block NZ’s most outspoken duo, Lisa Ridout and Chris ‘‘Ribz’’ Gordon, say the judges comments this season have been ‘‘just nuts’’. This follows two weeks where their own rooms have been harshly criticised – in week one, for a bubblegum-pink room and in week two, for being too conservative – and a room reveal last Sunday in which their pals, Ethan Ordish and Sam Whatarangi of Team Orange, were torn to pieces for their children’s room.
‘‘I just don’t get how the judges’ comments work,’’ said Ridout. ‘‘They said [to the boys] that they’d gone too much with their wallpaper, and they go into Adam and Stacy’s room and say they could have wrapped it right round the room.
‘‘And it’s like, well, who are you comparing this against? I’m just unsure of what their mindset is, it’s just nuts.
‘‘I think the boys got a really rough critique, but they know the bunks weren’t great, they know that
stuff. You don’t need to be slammed about it.’’
Gordon said it ‘‘goes to show’’ that even with the boys’ building skills, The Block was no cake walk.
‘‘There’s not that much time to pull off what the judges would like you to pull off. Those boys worked hard to try and pull it all off, and there’s just not enough time in a week.
‘‘I hope people can see that now for the rest of the show. It’s so tight for time. It might not look it when you watch it, but in one day if something falls behind, you’re not finishing your room.’’
Lisa said fellow contestants Sophia and Mikaere had touched on the boys having an advantage because they were builders.
‘‘No, they don’t have an advantage. If anything it’s a disadvantage because they lack the styling.’’
Ridout said their experience during the room reveals has so far been ‘‘horrible’’, but they’re undaunted by the judges’ opinions.
‘‘The judges have been quite mean to us. To others they give constructive criticism and praise them when they’ve been good. But for us, they’re just slamming us, so it’s not very nice.
‘‘I don’t think we would have done anything different. We have a clear idea of what we want to do in this apartment. If you keep on listening to everything the judges say then your vision is no longer and you might end up with some
mismatching rooms. For us, we have to stay true to what we envision for this apartment and it’s not that hideous wallpaper.
‘‘If we are smart about our money, which we are – we’re pretty good about our spending and we’re pretty good with our budget – I think you can do
The Block with the $100k you’re given. To be fair, we got the safe, we got some extras [and] that has topped us up.
‘‘But I think if you’re just really careful, you don’t overspend, and you manage your tradies, I think you can get through.
‘‘We’re hoping that’s gonna be the case for us. We’d love to win some rooms, but we cannot – or I
cannot – let someone tell me what to do and change my vision.’’
Gordon agrees. ‘‘I’ve come on the show to pretty much follow Lisa. I have faith in her. I just stick to the side and do my part. I’m not good at style so anything she does has gotta be better than me.’’
Ridout was aware that how she came across on the show wouldn’t always reflect who she really was. ‘‘I feel like the words that come out of my mouth are my words. But the ways they’re being edited, the way they’re portrayed, playing mind games, that is not what I’m doing.
‘‘But it’s part of the show, it’s part of the fun. Yes, I am in there working and I’m doing a lot of things that aren’t shown on the TV, but we’re having a lot of fun as well. I think if you can’t have a laugh while you’re on the show, or laugh at yourself, then you’re just boring.
‘‘Everyone should be able to have a laugh and we laugh every day. I feel like laughing is good and just having a fun time is good. I’d rather be laughing than just sitting there crying about gib.’’
The couple’s uncompromising vision for the apartment was ‘‘more sleek and stylie’’ than family-oriented.
‘‘We’re going for a bit of party house. This is central Auckland and it’s apartments, it’s looking over Eden Park, so you would expect to be having a few cocktails out on your terrace while the rugby’s on and having a few friends over.
‘‘That’s basically what we’re trying to bring here. And also taking a bit of influence and inspiration from Kingsland itself. It’s bright lights and bars, it’s where all the cool people are, it’s what we’re trying to do.
‘‘There’s nothing the other teams have done that I’m envious of. Our style is just different. We’re all so different. It’s not what we would have done, and to change anything? Hell no.’’
The Block NZ screens on Three, Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm and Sundays, for the room reveals, from 7pm.
‘‘We’d love to win some rooms, but we cannot – or I cannot – let someone tell me what to do and change my vision.’’
Lisa Ridout