The Block: Tree Change has officially kicked off, and who knew a renovation show could have so much drama?
The chaos began in the very first episode when entrepreneur and influencer Elle Ferguson and her AFL star fiancee Joel Patfull made their reality TV debut.
In case you missed it, the couple famously quit the show after just two days, leaving host Scott Cam furious.
So what exactly happened between The Block and Elle and Joel? Let’s start from the beginning.
Scott Cam Slams Elle and Joel
The longtime host of The Block spoke to TV Tonight at Nine’s post-Logies media brunch, where he called the couple’s decision to leave the show “piss-poor”.
“We had a controversy on Day Two of the series,” he explained. “We had a 48-hour challenge to choose the house that you get and they scarpered after 48 hours. It’s something that’s never happened before.”
He revealed that 45,000 people applied for the reality series in the hopes to win “life-changing money”.
“[Elle and Joel] got on and they just couldn’t handle the pace after 48 hours. Which to me is a bit un-Australian!” Scott said, adding: “Have a go!”
Elle Shares Cryptic Post on Instagram
While Elle and Joel didn’t respond to Scott’s comments, the influencer did share a cryptic post to her Instagram Stories.
“Wherever you are in the world. Whatever you are doing. Family always comes first,” she wrote.
Channel Nine Issues Statement
After the pair’s departure, the network released a statement, saying: “Over the weekend, we were surprised to have one of our new contestant teams depart The Block a few days into filming for the upcoming season.
“We wish them all the best for the future and we’re excited to cast two new Aussies for the opportunity of a lifetime on The Block.”
The Daily Mail Reveal Why the Couple Chose to Quit
Shortly after the news broke, the Daily Mail revealed that Elle and Joel decided to leave The Block after the athlete’s mum fractured her neck during a fall at her home in Adelaide.
There were also reports that Joel’s mother broke her coccyx and fractured her wrist.
Series Creator Julian Cress Comments on the Matter
Julian Cress spoke to the Herald Sun, saying the duo had issues with what the show required from them.
“[Elle] seemed a bit shocked that she was going to have to spend 12 weeks in hi-vis on a worksite,” he said.
Julian said he was happy with their performance but was “dumbstruck” when Elle and Joel called him to say the show “was not quite on brand for them.”
He planned to meet up with them to discuss their concerns, but the meeting never went ahead.
“They never spoke to any of us again,” he added.
Scott Cam Speaks Up (Again)
Scott was clearly still riled up because he told news.com.au that the pair had given “no explanation” when they left.
“They never spoke to us, they just left in the middle of the night. I still don’t know why they left. They never mentioned their sick mother in the 48 hours before they left, or after they left. The executive producer spoke to them (after they left) and they didn’t mention their sick mother then either.”
POPSUGAR Australia has reached out to Elle’s rep for a comment.
