The Block host's blunt message after couple quit: 'You wanted this'

There’s no doubt that The Block is one of the hardest shows on reality TV. Not only do contestants have to renovate an entire home in just 12 weeks, but they also have to work closer than ever before with their loved ones while navigating a competitive cast dynamic in a high-pressure environment.

Viewers were given a firsthand look at just how tough the experience is during Monday night’s episode when Paige and Jesse made the gut-wrenching decision to put themselves first and quit the show. The couple became the second team in the show’s history to leave the competition partway through after Elle and Joel in 2022, although they exited after just 48 hours.

The Block’s co-host Shelley Craft tells Yahoo Lifestyle that in the 21 years since the series first premiered on TV, it has never shied away from airing the difficulties people face throughout the process and there’s “no smoke and mirrors”. This is exactly why she's so surprised when contestants seemingly don't know what they've gotten themselves into once filming kicks off.

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“It's interesting when people audition for The Block, I don't really know what they're expecting,” she remarks. “I think throughout the show, we tell it absolutely how it is - how hard it is going to be, how much of a mental challenge it is as much as a physical challenge.

“There is no doubt that our contestants are under a great amount of pressure and stress, but it's very localised. They're not going home to their normal jobs or their families, it really is about what's happening on that site at that time.”

Shelley's strong message to contestants

Shelley admits that she regularly reminds the show’s contestants during filming that the experience is intended to be fun and it’s something they chose to take part in.

“I'm not going to say it's going to be fun all the time, it’s hard work, but you signed up for it,” she says. “It wasn’t The Hunger Games, we didn't draw your name out of the fishbowl. You wanted this for whatever reason so please try and always keep in mind why you're here.

“For the parents, often it's to hopefully win a life-changing amount of money to set their families up for the future. For young couples, it's perhaps to put themselves under a little bit of pressure to see how they're going to work together in the future, or just a life experience.”

“But yeah, we do try to say, ‘Hey, don't get too overwhelmed by the waterproofing’, for example. ‘Really think about that overall picture of why you're here, and remember to find some excitement and joy in every day while you're here’.”

The TV host adds that her biggest advice for contestants when watching the show is to own their behaviour, but also don’t pay too much attention to social media critics.

“The general public, they don't know you, so when they see you on air, they're reacting to a very small window of your personality,” she details. “So remember why the people that love you love you, and yes, you weren't having your greatest day, but be honest about that. ‘Oh my goodness, I was out of control that day, and that's okay because I don't have to be in control every day’.”

Shelley issues urgent plea to fans following backlash

Speaking directly to the viewers of the long-running reality show, Shelley urges fans to stop sending hate to any of the contestants on social media.

“The audience is only seeing little snippets of their personalities, not what they’re like every day when they get nine hours of sleep and they get to do their hair and makeup and feel fabulous. We really are by the end of the series seeing these contestants under the greatest amount of pressure that they've ever been in,” she shares.

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“I think we have to be a lot gentler on them as an audience for what they're going through because they're providing you entertainment. They’re providing us with some wonderful rooms and design ideas, but ultimately, we're all watching because we're intrigued by who these couples are and who these people are.

“From that mental health side of it, just be kind. These people are giving you some viewing pleasure, be a little bit more kind on the other end of the line, please.”

Shelley was recently announced as the latest ambassador to join Beyond Blue’s Big Blue Table, where people are encouraged to host a meal and create a safe environment where friends, family and colleagues can talk about mental health. The campaign runs throughout October and raises vital funds for the Beyond Blue Support Service, which delivers free mental health support to more than 300,000 people each year.

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