The foremost men
The Block Australia’s fiery foremen Dan and Keith are back for season 15 and they’re looking for minor flaws.
The Block Australia
Season 15 Weekdays (from Thursday 28 April) M-Net (*101) 18:00
Keith Schleiger and Dan Reilly are known as sticklers for the tiniest detail. And that’s important when you’re the foremen on a construction reality show like The Block Australia. “I was on the show in season 6 in 2012 and I loved it. I was a bit of a loose cannon and while my measuring skills were okay, Keithy taught me all about accuracy,” says Dan, who swapped his apprentice carpenter job for full-time construction star after the show. “I’ve been on every season since then and I think our viewers love my transition because it shows in my ethic and also how I handle the contestants. I know what it’s like being in their shoes, so I handle them a little better than my colleague,” says Dan, teasing Keith about his grumpy personality. But for season 15, the foremen are seemingly on the exact same page: Feisty.
THE INCREDIBLE GROUCH
“I’m actually a very nice bloke,” says Keith. “I think there’s a misconception because I don’t exactly walk around the site with a smile on my face all the time. But what people – both at home and the contestants – need to remember is that we’re not playing games. We’re on an actual construction site and there’s potential danger around every corner.”
The 40-something-year-old made headlines in season 13 and then season 14, which is currently airing weekdays on channel Me (*115) at 18:00, in 2020 and 2021 for being a little too critical and mean, according to fans online. “They have every right to complain,” says Dan. “But at the end of the day, Keith and
I are here, employed not only by the show but also contracted to the national building society, to maintain safety during filming and make sure that the buildings and rooms all meet national standards.” Keith adds that he doesn’t worry too much about what people say online “because they’re just trolls who don’t know better. We are never rude or mean to the contestants. We want to see them succeed and get things done right. Sometimes that happens, sometimes they need our help when things either go wrong or are heading that way. I couldn’t live with myself if I saw a crooked support beam and knew what would happen and then chose to ignore it.” Plus, the houses are auctioned off at the end of the season as part of the competition and the new owners need to be buying a structurally sound property.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
The two foremen don’t just have to answer to the show bosses if something goes wrong – they’ve got to account for their actions to the show’s nice-guy host Scotty Cam. And that’s something that’s a lot more daunting, admits Dan. “He’s a really good bloke, old Scotty.
He’s your uncle who puts his arm around your shoulder when you’re down and he’s able to fix things for you. But he’s also a professional. He’s been in building probably longer than I’ve been alive.
He’s seen it all, heard it before and got the shirt. You can’t pull the wool over his eyes, so it gets done right or you do it over until it’s done right.”
The 59-year-old admits that even after 20 years and 18 seasons so far (we are actually watching season 17 renumbered as 15), he’s continually impressed by the contestants and what they’re able to deliver. “During COVID, we locked the set down for six weeks. That group came back and put on an incredible display. I don’t think we’ve seen the best that The Block Australia has to offer by a long shot and this new group of Fans vs Faves are going to be on top form – even with Dan and Keithy giving them grief,” says the host as the new season begins.