The Block’s Luke and Jasmin have been bombarded with trolling on social media amid their ‘cheating scandal’ on the renovation show.
Despite telling fans that had not intended to copy another designer’s bedroom, the saga continues to attract backlash online with no sign of slowing down.
As of Wednesday, the WA team has chosen to ‘limit’ the comments on their Instagram profile to avoid further abuse.
Damage control: The Block’s Luke and Jasmin have turned off Instagram comments as they continue to face intense backlash for ‘cheating’ during their children’s bedroom renovation
By disabling public comments, only users they actively follow and are ‘friends’ with are allowed to interact with them in the comments section.
While this has effectively stopped trolling on their own account, the controversial duo continue to face abuse on The Block’s official Instagram profile.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment.
Blocked: By disabling public comments, only users they actively follow and are ‘friends’ with are allowed to interact with them in the comments section
‘We believed it was all above board’: Luke and Jasmin had tried to reason with fans on Tuesday by denying they had knowingly broken the rules by using a Byron Bay holiday home as ‘inspiration’ for their children’s bedroom
Luke and Jasmin had tried to reason with fans on Tuesday by denying they had knowingly broken the rules by using a Byron Bay holiday home as ‘inspiration’ for their children’s bedroom.
The couple had been accused by judge Shaynna Blaze on the show of creating a ‘carbon copy’ of another design by The Designory agency, prompting them to release a statement on Instagram.
‘All week we were showing our mood board which featured the room from the The Designory (and other images). We were open about using it and believed it was all above board,’ they explained.
Luke and Jasmin also reminded viewers that a similar controversy had taken place on The Block in 2017, when teammates Ronnie and Georgia were accused by other contestants of copying their winning room from a design they’d found on Pinterest.
Busted: On Tuesday’s episode, Luke and Jasmin were accused by judge Shaynna Blaze of cheating during their winning kids’ room renovation. Pictured: the WA team’s room (left) and the Byron Bay holiday home that ‘inspired’ them (right)
Ronnie and Georgia were cleared of any wrongdoing by the judges, however.
Luke and Jasmin reminded fans: ‘At the time, a Channel Nine spokesperson stated, “The only rule is that contestants don’t enlist the help of a professional interior designer. There is no limit on the boundaries to which contestants can take an inspiration image and draw on latest trends for their rooms.”‘
‘So this is our understanding of the show’s “rules” with regards to copying. Rules which we haven’t broken,’ they continued.
‘Inspiration is one thing, completely taking someone’s idea and making it your own is another,’ Block judge Shaynna Blaze (pictured) told Luke and Jasmin
The team went on to accuse their rivals of ‘copying’ other designs.
‘We know that other contestants this season have copied images for their rooms. We hope it adds as much value to their house as possible,’ they wrote.
They concluded their post by explaining there was a simple reason for why they took inspiration from an existing design – to make sure their room was ‘on-trend’.
‘We set out to create an on-trend home and there will always be current design trends that feature in homes built at the same time, by people who scroll the same feeds as us,’ they stated.
Speaking out: In a lengthy post to Instagram, the interior design guru defended her remarks about the couple’s room being plagiarised, but did acknowledge the possibility they had copied their room without even realising it
It comes after Shaynna shared her own statement to Instagram on Tuesday in which she urged viewers to stop trolling the couple, and Jasmin in particular.
While the interior design guru defended her remarks about the couple’s room being plagiarised, she did acknowledge the possibility they had copied their room without even realising it.
Support: Judge Shaynna also urged viewers to stop trolling the couple, and Jasmin in particular, hours after Tuesday night’s episode
‘We’re living in the world of Instagram and Pinterest so it’s inevitable that sometimes the lines blur between ‘taking inspiration’ and direct copying,’ Shaynna began.
She added that it was ‘imperative we all consider other designers’ intellectual property rights when we are designing for profit’.
In light of this, Shaynna said she had no choice but to ‘have a difficult conversation’ with Luke and Jasmin after noticing the ‘many similarities’ between their renovation and the Barefoot Escapes holiday home in Byron Bay created by The Designory.
While she stood by her position that House 4 had crossed the line, she also made it clear there was no excuse for trolling.
‘Please don’t direct any negativity towards Jasmin on social media, and instead let’s all take a look at our own appreciation of design and other designers, and our personal understanding of the difference between imitation and plagiarism,’ she concluded.
Repeat offenders: The Block’s Luke and Jasmin (both pictured) find themselves at the centre of yet another cheating scandal in a teaser trailer for Sunday’s upcoming episode
The Block’s Luke and Jasmin will find themselves at the centre of yet another cheating scandal this Sunday, as teased in a new trailer.
Fellow contestants Daniel and Jade enlist furniture designer Christian Cole to create a bespoke kitchen island bench for them – only to later accuse Luke and Jasmin of copying the design.
The Block continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine
Stay tuned! The Block continues on Sunday from 7pm on Channel Nine