After 14 weeks of blood, sweat and tears, The Block’s five couples took their houses to auction on Sunday night’s episode.
And newlyweds Tess Cattana, 27, and Luke Struber, 29, were crowned the winners with a profit of $630,000, on top of the $100,000 cash prize.
It comes after the couple admitted they struggled with the pressures of the show, and were concerned it would ruin their marriage.
The Block 2019 finale: Newlyweds Tess Cattana, 27, and Luke Struber, 29, are crowned the winners with a $630,000 profit on top of the $100k cash prize
‘Speechless. We cannot believe we have just won the biggest Block ever!’ Tess said after being announced the winners by host Scott Cam.
‘$730,000 is more money than we could ever imagine having in the bank!’ she added.
The couple, who had their reserve set at $2,990,000, received a bid of $3,620,000, resulting in a profit of $630,000.
The first couple to go to auction were Mitch Edwards, 56, and Mark McKie, 57.
With a reserve of $2,990,000, the couple received a bid of $3,374,000, and a profit of $384,000.
Mitch Edwards, 56, and Mark McKie, 57, had a reserve of $2,990,000, the couple received a bid of $3,374,000, and a profit of $384,000
An emotional Mitch said of the profit: ‘It will make a change in our lives, a big change. We’ll be able to do some special things and we can help out a very special… special little girl to get some help. That’s really important to us.’
Mitch and Mark will use part of the money to help their sick granddaughter.
El’ise ant Matt Bothe, 33 and 38, were the next to receive their fate.
The Western Australia-based couple had their reserve set at $2,990,000, received a bid of $3,440,000 and were awarded a profit of $450,000.
El’ise ant Matt Bothe, 33 and 38, had their reserve set at $2,990,000, received a bid of $3,440,000 and were awarded a profit of $450,000
‘Oh my gosh, that’s amazing!’ El’ise said. While Matt quipped: ‘Everything, just every step that we did up and down, that scaffold. Everything has been worth it.’
Andy and Deb Saunders, 47 and 45, had their reserve set at $2,990,000, received a bid of $3,420,000, and got a profit of $430,000.
‘[I’m] incredibly grateful,’ Deb said. ‘It was really hard, every minute was really hard but every minute was worth it.’
Andy and Deb Saunders, 47 and 45, had their reserve set at $2,990,000, received a bid of $3,420,000, and got a profit of $430,000
Jesse Raeburn, 29, and Mel, 30, had their reserve set at $2,990,000, received a bid of $3,378,000, and were awarded a profit of $388,000.
‘Oh my goodness, this is amazing!’ an ecstatic Mel said.
The winner announcement comes after Tess and Luke told 9Entertainment this week, that their ultimate goal before filming began was for their marriage to survive.
Luke admitted: ‘The main objective was to stay married.’
Jesse Raeburn, 29, and Mel, 30, had their reserve set at $2,990,000, received a bid of $3,378,000, and were awarded a profit of $388,000
The Queensland couple only tied the knot earlier this year shortly before they began their time on The Block.
But under the intense pressure of the show, the newlyweds have struggled to keep their cool.
At one point during ‘Hell Week’, Tess walked off the set and declared she was ‘ready to go’.
‘My marriage is more important to me than making a TV show,’ she said, adding that all she wanted was time and space with Luke away from the cameras.
But now as the pair reflected on what they have learnt from their time on the show, Luke was positive about the experience.
‘I think for me I’ve just learnt what we can actually achieve in our life together,’ he said.