We know that all reality TV shows like The Block are edited to show us the highlights and must-see news, but we generally expect that the contestants are generally portrayed as they really are. Yet time and time again, reality stars make headlines claiming they’ve been misrepresented thanks to the chopping block that is the editing suite.
This time, it’s one of The Block 2014 ‘fans’, Steve O’Connell, who is crying edit, and it’s sparked a little back-and-forth between the contestant and the show’s co-creator…
It all started when Steve took to his personal Facebook page to vent about a series of events that he remembers differently to how they aired on TV, saying that the show made him out to be “in some way mentally deficient” and “ridiculous”. Specifically, he outlined a phone call with a furniture supplier that was swapped with a phone call to a bathroom supplier and went on to call the incident, “the most ridiculing aspect of the show to date”, telling a friend, “I think I pissed off a producer early and now they’re out to punish me.”
Naturally, the comments didn’t go unnoticed by The Block’s producers. Julian Cress, the show’s co-creator, told News Limited, “I don’t think we, as a program, have done anything underhanded to manipulate the storyline to make Steve look bad. I think it’s important to remember that there are a number of different viewpoints to everything that happens on The Block. We cast four couples and put them in the same building and ask them all what they think of each and every event [so] what you get are four different views.”
Your Guide to The Block Fans vs Faves Contestants
He continued, “On top of that you’ve got a number of professional storytellers [production staff] who are looking at everything that happens and forming their opinion as well. Steve is not going to agree with each and every instance — and that makes sense to me. I am personal friends with every contestant that has been on the show [seven seasons] so obviously I think I’ve got a good track record of being able to be trusted.”
We have to say, given the comments were made on Steve’s private Facebook page and were leaked to the media via a friend, it does sound as though he didn’t expect his rant would ever go public and cause such a storm.
told Australian Associated Press, “I thought it was going to a few valued friends, it wasn’t an open forum, and my personal information has been handed over to the media. I’ve spoken to the person involved and I’m bitterly disappointed. I considered them a mate. I’ve quickly closed my Facebook account and we are no longer mates on the social network.” Ouch!
Speaking of The Block, the show’s judge Darren Palmer will be donning budgy smugglers and running 6km through Sydney’s streets, but only if he is able to raise at least $5000 for Youngcare, a charity for which he is an ambassador. Here’s a little sneak peek at what it might look like (courtesy of our good mate Photoshop of course)…
Of the challenge he said said, “Braving the Budgie Bolt is one of my worst nightmares. The challenge has been set by Youngcare advocate Emily Dash, asking if I am man enough to take part. Emily and I have become great friends, however asking me to don the Budgy’s and run 6km – this is pushing the friendship! I’m not one to back down, so I thought I’d see if enough people would put their money behind me to run through Sydney’s streets in my Budgy’s and not much else! If I raise enough money for Youngcare, I’ll do it!”
If you want to help raise money for Darren, head to https://gioyoungcarebudgiebolt.everydayhero.com/au/darren before the run which is set to take place on Friday the 28th of March at 4pm in Darling Harbour.
