The Block’s Wyatt and Chantel claim members of the show’s production team repeatedly dismissed their concerns about an incorrect $20,700 room cost before discovering that the couple’s builder invoice had been counted twice.
In an exclusive interview with Chattr, the Gold Coast couple said they questioned the figure immediately after judging because their own records showed they had spent approximately $12,500.
According to Wyatt, the show’s head of finance told them the matter would be discussed the following day, while executive producer Julian Cress initially said he had checked the invoices and also calculated a total exceeding $20,000.
“After that, we approached the head of finance to ask why that number was there and not the number we had. And she said, no, we’ll talk about it tomorrow and shut us down,” Wyatt told Chattr.
Wyatt said the couple then approached executive producer Julian Cress about the discrepancy.
“So then on the way out, we saw executive producer Jules, and he said he had actually seen the invoices. He calculated it, and he got over $20,000 as well.”
During Monday night’s episode, Julian accepted responsibility for the production error and explained that the show’s accounting system had counted the couple’s builder invoice twice. Julian and host Scott Cam apologised to Wyatt and Chantel.
“We were just super confused, and then we got in our car and drove home, and we were looking at our CommBank app, and we could see exactly how much we’d spent, because we paid our invoices that morning.
“We were re-adding it up, and we were getting like 12 and a half thousand, in that ballpark. So we were very confused as to why no one was listening to us.”
The personal trainer pointed out that there weren’t many invoices to add up, which is why it was even more confusing that such a huge error was made multiple times.
“We were getting shut down and wondering how they could get $20,000 just from adding three invoices up that were not even close to 20 grand. So we were very confused as to why we weren’t getting the time of day.”
Chantel added that being repeatedly dismissed when she knew something didn’t add up made the situation even more upsetting.
“They could see that we were visibly upset, and I think that’s what was making it more upsetting and more of just a really uncomfortable situation. Production was not giving us the time of day and dismissing us when we were in such a heightened state.”
The couple were so shaken by the accusations that they seriously considered quitting the show. However, after sitting down with Scott and Julian and clearing the air, they ultimately decided to stay.
Why the incorrect The Block budget figure concerned Chantel and Wyatt’s businesses
Viewers saw Scott and EP Julian meet with Chantel and Wyatt during Monday’s episode and admit that they’d made a mistake and apologised for it.
Wyatt was visibly fired up and made it clear he didn’t want to be made to look like a fool, particularly when the mistake could have real consequences for his and Chantel’s small businesses. He explained to Chattr why he thought the accusations could be so damaging professionally.
“We run small businesses, and if you make us look super incompetent, like we can’t calculate three numbers together, and we’re so far off a budget — it’s not a good look,” he said.
“Obviously it’s the first week, you’re trying to work out how much your trades are going to charge, and you’re trying to work out if you’ll be able to get close to your budgets and things like that. But to be spending over double the estimated or recommended budget just makes us look silly.
“If we’re running our own business and it looks like we can’t even manage a basic budget, then it makes us look pretty silly… It made me feel like the pressure was just all on us, and that we were very incompetent at budgeting and those sorts of things.”
The Block 2026 airs Sundays at 7pm and Monday — Wednesday on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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