After a nail-biting auction televised live on TV3 last night, Auckland couple Alex and Corban Walls have been crowned the 2014 winners of The Block NZ, taking home a life-changing prize of $307,000.
Twelve weeks of renovation, relationship drama and top ratings paid off for the team when the 2014 series of The Block NZ culminated in last night's two-hour finale which saw the four properties located in Newell Street, Point Chevalier, Auckland auctioned live by Bayleys at SkyCity Auckland.
"It feels absolutely surreal," said Alex Walls. "We didn't come on here to win, we came on here to do our best and so to come away with a win is mind-blowing. It's a really humbling experience being in this position and we have enjoyed spending every moment with our Block family."
Fellow contestants Quinn and Ben Alexandre, Maree Wright and James Steele and Jo and Damo Neal were on tenterhooks during the auction as each of the houses went under the hammer.
First under the hammer, the house renovated by the Walls at 28 Newell Street, sold for $1,552,000 making them the team with the highest profit. Under the rules of the competition, all contestants keep their profit over reserve. The Walls took away $227,000 plus the series winner's additional $80,000 cash prize, giving them a total prize of $307,000.
Feilding team Jo and Damo Neal were named the winners of the People's Choice Award, decided by public vote, and will take home a brand new Honda CRV Sport.
"We're so ecstatic, it's a real privilege and honour to win this award," said Jo Neal. "Thanks so much to everyone for all the support along the way."
Damo Neal added, "Winning this car is such a bonus for us, we really appreciate everyone backing us."
The Neals' property sold for $1,386,000, picking them up $61,000.
In a surprise twist as last night's programme drew to a close, Alex and Corban Walls announced they would gift $30,000 of their prize money to fellow contestants, Quinn and Ben Alexandre, who had won $10,000 from the sale of their property in tonight's auction, giving the Christchurch couple a total of $40,000.
"We decided you never let your friends go without," said Corban Walls. "And when you know they have put in the same amount of effort as us, we feel like they deserve it."
Host Mark Richardson hinted that the money would go towards making their Christchurch house a "baby house".
Quinn Alexandre said, "When they first offered it I was like 'no way you don't need to do that'."
Ben Alexandre added, "How do you accept a $30,000 gift from someone you have only known for three months? You graciously accept and say thank you and promise that it is going to go towards giving our baby an amazing life."
Early in the evening the order of the auctions, chosen by South Auckland partners of 13 years Wright and Steele, who won the show's final week of challenges, was revealed.
They chose the Walls to go first, themselves second, the Alexandres third and the Neals last.
The house Wright and Steele had built at 26 Newell St went for $1,472,000, leaving them with $147,000 in their hand.
"That's all I asked for is that someone fell in love with that place," Wright said. "The money is a bonus."
Mark Caulton, MediaWorks TV Director of Programming says the finale was a fitting end to a hugely successful third series.
"On behalf of everyone at MediaWorks I'd like to congratulate Alex and Corban on their well-deserved win and to also acknowledge Maree and James, Quinn and Ben and Jo and Damo who were all integral to making this series a huge success.
"This season of The Block NZ has been must-see television for Kiwi audiences, who have really got behind all four teams as they took on the country's biggest renovation challenge and demonstrated incredible ingenuity, creativity and hard graft to produce four top-quality family homes.
"For the third consecutive year The Block NZ has been one of the most watched, most talked-about series on television, engaging and entertaining audiences across the country and making household names of the contestants."
The 2014 season of The Block NZ is the most popular so far with more than 3 million Kiwis tuning in to the hit series and record numbers watching via TV3's on-demand service 3NOW.
A behind the scenes special screens on TV3 next Tuesday and the show has been confirmed to return in 2015 for a fourth season, featuring past contestants.
An Australian The Block: Glasshouse series also starts soon on TV3.
Source: Press Release - MediaWorks, The New Zealand Herald and 3 News.
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