The Block 2023, Inspiration | PGH Bricks & Pavers

The Block in 2023

If ever there was a street with the right name, it is Charming Street in the bayside Melbourne suburb of Hampton East. This quiet suburban street is set to become the centre of renovation, construction and, yes, a little drama this year.

Charming Street is the location of The Block in 2023, where five new couples will battle it out to transform these 1950s cottages into modern family homes – and hopefully win some big money along the way. While relatively solid, these grand old homes are now aged in their 70s and way overdue for a contemporary update. All teams will also be given the task of creating secondary accommodation on the properties.

Everyone’s favourite host, Scott Cam, will be back with cohost Shelley Craft, along with a new judge joining Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker. Real estate expert Marty Fox, who has sold two houses on The Block before, will tag-team judging on Sunday nights as Neale partly steps back this season.

Marty Fox isn’t the only new addition to the lineup this season. Foremen Keith Schleiger and Dan Reilly will be joined on site with fan favourite from last year, Tom Calleja, as this year’s Block plumber.

CSR and The Block

CSR is back helping the teams by providing some of our most successful and popular products – bricks and stone from PGH Bricks & Pavers, Gyprock plasterboard and Bradford Insulation – to help them create saleable, winning homes that look good and feel comfortable.

As the leader in quality building products, we are proud to be part of the transformations soon to be seen on the small screen.

We have been part of The Block family for many years now and love watching our products realise their potential in these high-pressure builds. In 2023, The Block celebrates 20 years since the first series in Bondi went to air this year and is now an essential part of Australian television viewing.

Changes in 2023

There are a few changes this year. Host Scott Cam will be providing contestants with the full renovation schedule ahead of time this season. This alteration will help the teams plan ahead and provide a more cohesive design inside their homes – and hopefully help them manage their budgets better.

And, in another first, all the builders are fresh and new and none of them have worked on The Block before.

While there are some great build teams on set this year, this inexperience is going to make it even more of a challenge as they transform these tiny and untouched post-war homes into two-storey mansions, completed with a self-contained studio out the back.

It’s huge – and we can’t wait!

The couples

The teams this year are:

Sisters Eliza and Liberty Paschke (Victoria)
Firefighter Kyle and teaching aid Leslie Cottone (WA)
First aid officer Leah and builder Ash Milton (Queensland)
Project officer Kristy and safety officer Brett Beames (SA)
Newlyweds architect Steph and start-up worker Gian Ottavio (NSW)

It all launches on Sunday, August 6 at Block O’Clock (7pm) on Channel 9 with the teams tackling their first project – the House Decider challenge – to decide what house they will get. We can’t say too much, but expect drama and fireworks!