.jpg)
For the past few months, this fabulous foursome has been swinging hammers, slapping on paint, styling up a storm and blowing budgets on The Block NZ: Girls vs Boys all in the lead up to this time next week: the live auction!
In the nerve-wracking lead up, the girls – Blue Team’s Courtney MacKay and Emma Diamond along with Team Yellow’s Tiffany Mair and Niki Osborne – reflect on what they have accomplished to get to this point.
“We had no prior building experience coming on to the show,” says Emma, laughing. “We didn’t even know how long painting takes! Who knew you have different paint for walls, skirting boards, bathrooms and the ceiling? It was a learning curve for us.”
Dunedin-based flatmates Emma, 27, and Courtney, 25, had only ever picked up a hammer and drill before starring on the TV3 reality show, but the tough-as-nails chicks soon learned to love the heavy lifting that came with restoring their Auckland do-up.
The same goes for forensic scientist Niki, 29, who also had zero renovation experience. “I love the manual-labour side of things and just getting stuck in,” enthuses the Cantabrian. “There is a real sense of achievement at the end of each day when you can step back and think, ‘Hey, I was a part of that.’”
So after the auction on Sunday 14, August, will the budding builders hang up their tool belts for good?
Laughing as she talks about her fiancé, Highlanders player Joe Wheeler, Courtney tells, “Joe’s already joked to me, ‘When you get back home, you and Em can paint the outside of our house.’ I’m like, ‘In your dreams – we’ll be hiring someone to do that!’”
Emma adds, “I would love to build my own place now, but I’d need more time!”
As for Niki, she’s got land in Dunedin all ready to go; all she needs now is a support crew. She laughs, “I will definitely be hands-on for that one and I’ll call Tiff in too – if I can afford her!”
See more photos from our shoot here
The Block NZ: Girls vs Boys airs Sundays at 7pm, and Mondays-Wednesdays from 7.30pm on TV3. Look out for Block Unlocked on Thursday at 7.30pm this week, and tune in on Sunday, August 14 at 7pm for the Live Auction Grand Finale.
For the past few months, this fabulous foursome has been swinging working hard on The Block NZ: Girls vs Boys, all in the lead up to this time next week: the live auction!
Behind the scenes with The Block NZ girls
In the nerve-wracking lead up, the girls – Blue Team’s Courtney MacKay and Emma Diamond along with Team Yellow’s Tiffany Mair and Niki Osborne – reflect on what they have accomplished to get to this point.
Forensic scientist Niki, 29, (right), had zero renovation experience prior to coming on the show.
“I love the manual-labour side of things and just getting stuck in,” enthuses the Cantabrian.
“There is a real sense of achievement at the end of each day when you can step back and think, ‘Hey, I was a part of that.’”
Niki strikes a pose.
Quick fire questions with Tiff and Niki from The Block NZ
“We had no prior building experience coming on to the show,” says Emma, (left) laughing.
“We didn’t even know how long painting takes!” she says.
“Who knew you have different paint for walls, skirting boards, bathrooms and the ceiling? It was a learning curve for us.”
One of Courtney’s biggest supporters is her fiance, Highlanders star Joe Wheeler.
Check out Emma and Courtney’s quick fire questions in the next video.
Quick fire questions with Emma & Courtney from The Block NZ
Tiffany Mair makes up one half of Team Yellow alongside Niki Osborne.
The teams are hard at work in the lead up to the live auction, where all their efforts will hopefully see them win big.
Who is your favourite team from The Block NZ?
The Block NZ: Girls vs Boys airs Sundays at 7pm and Mondays-Wednesdays at 7.30pm*
