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The Block NZ winners Lisa and Ribz reveal their post-show plans

Cheers to them! Proving the experts wrong, the colourful couple scooped the grand prize.
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The morning after their phenomenal win on The Block NZ, Lisa Ridout, 37, and Chris “Ribz” Gordon, 34, were bleary-eyed but bushy-tailed after partying all night long.

Even though they didn’t get a wink of sleep, nothing could hide their joy.

“Winning $150,000!” Lisa exclaims in delight. “It doesn’t sound real, but it is real!”

It was a stellar outcome for the couple, who were the first team to go to auction, selling their apartment for $1,340,000 which meant a $50,000 profit.

They were followed by Ethan and Sam, who sold but didn’t make any profit. Then Stacy and Adam, and Sophia and Mikaere’s apartments were passed in after they failed to meet reserve – although both were later negotiated and sold for no profit.

As the ultimate winners of the Three reality show, Lisa and Ribz pocketed a further $100,000.

Despite their success, the Wellington couple admit they’re gutted for their fellow contestants. “It doesn’t feel right,” Ribz concedes.

Lisa agrees, “We were all there for that amount of time, we all struggled and were away from our kids and family… they deserve money. It’s making me upset, but what can you do?”

It has been a rollercoaster experience for the pair, who faced constant criticism from judges Jason Bonham and Lizzie Whaley for their styling choices.

“I am feeling smug, so smug my eyes are almost closed. Our apartment, I think, is bloody amazing. And if I’d listened to that idiot it would be all over the show,” Lisa says unapologetically about Jason.

Design diva Lisa takes matters into her own hands.

Emotions were high on the series, with the bolshie mum-of-three admitting that she felt close to divorcing her husband.

“It’s a pressure cooker. In your normal life you would go to work and have time apart,” Ribz says. “On The Block you’re always with each other and she’s a hard woman to deal with anyways.”

In one episode, Lisa was shown packing her bags and spending the night with her mum.

“That was pretty low,” she recalls. “It’s like my first mental breakdown I’ve ever had and that’s not nice. I don’t act like that in normal life and I was just beside myself. It was horrible; I was not me, not at all.”

Back to their normal life in Island Bay, the pair are thinking about how to spend their windfall. First, they’ll take children Devon, 20, Boston, 16, and Kingston, nine, on holiday.

And while Lisa had previously said she wanted a breast reduction with any money they earned, she’s decided to do something a little “smarter” with the dosh – opening a café!

The pair owned a food truck in 2007, then had to sell it when Lisa became pregnant and was so sick she couldn’t be around food. But their success during Dinner Wars Week on The Block has inspired them to start looking at local venues to open Rib Shack, the same name as their food truck.

“He’s Ribz and then I make really amazing ribs,” laughs Lisa.

While relishing their win, they admit the experience is about more than money.

“You’re just on that whole journey, meeting amazing people and coming away with lifelong friendships,” Lisa gushes.

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