Newlyweds Hayden Vale and Sara Tumino have defied the odds to win The Block 2018 in an incredible Grand Finale.

The old Gatwick Hotel went under the hammer as The Block came to an astonishing conclusion, with all five apartments selling despite Melbourne’s auction clearance rate hitting a six-year low last weekend. 

Project manager Hayden and flight attendant Sara celebrated as the hammer came down on their apartment at $3,020,000. The price was a massive $545,000 over their reserve, which claimed them the grand prize of an additional $100,000 – netting them a total of $645,000. The controversial pair also shared the exciting news that they are expecting a baby boy next April.

Hayden and Sara shocked audiences when they won the first challenge of the year and opted to renovate Apartment 3 in the old Gatwick, bypassing the chance to build a brand-new, luxurious penthouse. However, their decision paid off, with the three couples who renovated the old Gatwick apartments coming out on top of the two penthouse teams.

In second place were the South Australian renovators Kerrie and Spence, the oldest couple on the show, who took home a life-changing profit of $415,000 as their apartment sold for $2,850,000.

High-flying fiancés Courtney and Hans, claimed a close third place when their apartment went under the hammer for $2,770,000. They walk away with a profit of $410,000. In a heartwarming twist, their apartment was sold to the previous Gatwick owners, sisters Yvette Kelly and Rose Banks, who will now own a slice of the place they called home for nearly 50 years. 

The finale was not without drama as penthouse neighbours Norm and Jess and Bianca and Carla were forced to decide their auction order with a coin toss when neither couple would give up the third auction place after a dramatic deliberation.

Best friends from Melbourne, Bianca and Carla, walked away in fourth position with a cool $301,000 when their penthouse sold for $2,991,000.

Fan favourites, the loveable Queenslanders Norm and Jess, earned themselves $209,000 over the reserve when their penthouse sold for $2,859,000 in a nailbiting auction. 

The juggernaut ratings for The Block in 2018 prove once again that Australia cannot get enough of the renovation reality series. 

“The Block continues to be one of TV’s greatest success stories, and this season has been no exception, with the program continuing to dominate in all areas”, said Nine Program Director, Hamish Turner.

“After 14 seasons, The Block regularly tops overnight rankings night after night. It continues to deliver across all platforms, with year on year increases on broadcast video on demand (BVOD).”

Host Scott Cam, along with Shelley Craft and the gang, will be back to challenge a fresh batch of Blockheads when the program returns for its 15th series in 2019 at the historic Oslo Hotel in St Kilda.

Tonight’s results confirm The Block as Australia’s richest reality program, taking total prizemoney across 14 seasons to a whopping $20,775,501.

For further information, please contact:
Anna Gilfillan
Nine Network Publicity

Sunday, October 28, 2018