'There is a contingency plan': What actually happens if a Block contestant quits the show

There were tears aplenty on The Block this week, as contestants Kerrie and Spence spoke of the overwhelming pressure they were feeling and the toll it has taken on their mental health.

On Wednesday, Spence expressed how “over” the show he was, how desperately he wanted to leave, and how exhausting the concept was.

“It’s an experience of it’s own, being a contestant on The Block. There’s nothing you can ever imagine that is going to compare with this,” he said.

“It all builds up, and builds up, and builds up, and then it’s just, snap, ‘I need to get out of here’.”

While contestants on the show have threatened to quit in the past – in fact, just weeks ago, Hayden and Sara were having a similar conversation about leaving – it might feel like simply more of the same to the show’s audience, drama is as big a part of the action as the renovations. But what would the production do without the stars of its show?

This week, there was – and perhaps still is – a very real possibility that Kerrie and Spence leave. So what’s the show to do?

According to The Block’s executive producer Julian Cress, there is a contingency plan.

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“We had 45,000 couples apply for the show, so if somebody did decide to leave it would be very easy to find someone to fill their slot,” he said, adding that if a new couple did enter the fray at a late stage, it wouldn’t have an impact on prize money.

“If someone did take over they would be entitled to the same prize money as the outgoing couple.”

Cress said the show offers contestants no extra incentives to stay once the show has started, and said they were contractually allowed to quit.

More than that, he said the production has psychologists on hand to care for the contestants.

“They are available for contestants who stay on the show also. It is a challenging experience for everyone involved and sometimes contestants feel the need to speak to someone professional to keep their perspective.”

In addition to providing contestants with expert counsel, Cress also said they were encouraged to speak to former contestants, who understand the overwhelming stress they might be feeling.

“We usually encourage them to speak to previous contestants who have had similar experiences. It’s always a comfort to discover that others have faced the same challenges and survived.”