After a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Block NZ is back in 2021, bringing with it four new teams keen to transform four new houses into homes with their renovation skills.
Season nine promises "the most impressive, architecturally designed houses The Block NZ has ever seen", based in Auckland's "aspirational inner-west suburb" of Point Chevalier.
Back on board to oversee the builds is site foreman Pete 'The Wolf' Wolfkamp, with Mark Richardson and Shelley Ferguson both back as hosts.
The new series also promises three new, as-yet unnamed judges "set to shake up the competition like never before".
At the end of a gruelling challenge that will test the teams' design and DIY skills in 230 square meter family houses with cityscape views, it all comes down to a televised auction where the contestants will sell their homes and take away any profit over the reserve.
The team that earns the highest profit will also walk away with the $100,000 grand prize.
With the show set to return to Three soon, let's meet the teams for The Block 2021:
Team Orange - Meg, 38 and Dan, 46
Builder Dan and his wife Meg own and operate a successful construction company. The pair met through a mutual friend, fell in love "madly and quickly" and now have four teenage kids between them. The family's home is an old stable block that Meg and Dan converted into a functional house.
Biggest DIY disaster: Not remembering that we put the switch to our oven in a shelf on the wall, so when we accidentally turned the switch off by rearranging the shelf we couldn't work out why the oven had no power.
We thought there was an electrical fault or a mouse had chewed through the cable so we called the sparky to fix it. It was just a switch that was off!
Party trick: Accidental copying of accents. It's as much of a trick as it is embarrassing, as it seems to be completely involuntary at times!
Biggest fear about being on The Block NZ: To not have fun with the experience and not be true to ourselves and to not push as hard as we can for the whole time.
Will win it because: If we win it will be because we worked as hard as we darn well would throughout the entire process. Meticulous attention to detail and going the fill hog at all times.
Team Blue - Tim and Arthur, both 26
Friends Tim and Arthur met when they played rugby together at age 10 and have been mates ever since. Both born and bred in the City of Sails, teacher aide and videographer Tim and accounts manager and musician Arthur now flat together in central Auckland. Tim describes Arthur as the resident ‘heartthrob' while Arthur says Tim tackles everything with maximum effort, but often leaves a trail of destruction behind him.
Biggest DIY disaster: Tim once managed to fire a nail gun through a customers' brand new ranch slider, while they were watching.
Party trick: Very unique dance moves.
Biggest fear about being on The Block: Burning down all four houses due to an unfortunate smelting accident. That, and your personality getting judged by the whole country.
Will win it because: We reckon we have the most private house, the best layout and our design style fits the area better than any of the other teams. You'd be mad not to pay $5 million for our house. Also, we have a one in four chance!
Team Purple - Janah, 39 and Rach, 42
Janah and Rach are two self-described 'fun mums' from Papamoa who are no strangers to building sites. They've been renovating their own homes for years and both their husbands are builders by trade. Rach is a real estate agent and was formerly stationed overseas with the NZ Army. Meanwhile, Janah is a domestic engineer who has a diploma in architectural technology and interior design.
Biggest DIY disaster: No real disasters fortunately, but a funny renovation experience was when Rachel went away with her family for Christmas and a storm came through while they were gone and ripped some of their roof off. Karl and I had to go over on Christmas day and fix their roof for them.
Party trick: Rachel can blow spit bubbles with her tongue!
Biggest fear about being on The Block: Sleep deprivation and spending so long away from family. Missing some detail that is important to the judges.
Will win it because: We work hard, give everything 100 percent and along the way will enjoy many laughs and good times together.
Team Yellow - Dylan, 30 and Keegan, 25
These two brothers from Greymouth couldn't be more different. Corporate banker Dylan, who has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, left the coast aged 18 to embrace the bright lights of big city living, while Keegan stayed close to home, where he works as a qualified builder. The self-described "Beauty and the Beast" pairing hope their opposing strengths will complement each other.
Biggest DIY disaster: Dylan ripped out a bathroom without knowing how much it cost to put it back together, and Keegan nailed his hand to a woodshed and cut his thumb in half.
Party trick: Dylan can snap into caretaker mode no matter how drunk he is!
Biggest fear about being on The Block NZ: Being recognised in public
Will win it because: We will do a quality job with that special something that someone will fall in love with.
