The Block 2025 Episode 21 recap: Ben and Emma and Sonny and Alicia cop the wrath of the judges

After a lucrative week of wins, Robby and Mat clinched another major victory by a gnome.

The South Australian buddies played their bonus point to snatch outright victory from Britt and Taz.

The win nets them another $10,000 to add to this week’s haul of a $50,000 outdoor fireplace, a $50,000 outdoor court and $15,000 in prizes. Not bad for a week’s work!

It almost ended very differently for the boys, who – for the first time in the competition – found themselves still hard at it on Saturday afternoon when foreman Dan called tools down.

Unaware that the use of power tools is banned after 3.30pm on a Saturday, the pair were left high and dry with hours of sawing and other construction work still to be done.

Scott Cam’s tips for telling if a home has hidden damage

Eye-watering price ranges for Block 2025 houses revealed

Rather than giving in, they decided to put their shoulder to the wheel and do it all by hand. Robby credited an impromptu visit from his partner and baby son for giving him his second wind so close to the finish line.

Triumphant Mat and Robby in their winning living dining area.

And it paid off, big time.

“Woah! How is this the same dimensions as the house next door? This is really nailing the brief,” Marty Fox smiled, comparing Robby and Mat’s expansive dining table and lounge suite to the more cramped set-up at Alicia and Sonny’s place.

Darren Palmer swooned that the room felt more spacious, functional and inviting than their competition even though it had exactly the same dimensions on paper.

“This is a big communal family home so you need to have this allocation of seating,” Darren said approvingly.

“You need to be able have a conversational pit where you can sit and interact with the backyard and sit and interact with each other.”

Close behind the boys were Taz and Britt, who would have romped home if they had orientated their furniture to take in the view and not the TV.

The judges loved Britt and Taz’ living and dining area, from the ceiling floor boards to the venetian plaster but the placement of the sofa cost them the win.

Smitten with the room’s “evangelical vibe” Shaynna said she would have “given them a 15 out of 10 if the couch was the other way”.

But she felt at home in the space enthusing: “This is emotive. Standing here. You connect to it emotionally as much as you do visually.”

Marty and Darren were particularly approving of the palette which Marty noted complemented their outfits.

“Yes, there’s a touch of beige and a hint of spray tan in there,” Darren agreed as he took in the neutral tones of the soft furnishings and fixtures around them.

“This house is starting to feel really beautifully meshed together. It’s got all the elements that worked well in the bedroom for me but they have applied them in big, dramatic strokes.”

The judges were far less complimentary about Ben and Emma’s efforts where they bemoaned for being a bit meh.

Emma and Ben failed to impress the judges with a layout that turns its back on the view.

“It’s nice,” Marty shrugged, obviously underwhelmed. Darren questioned the orientation of the furniture, which he said didn’t sell the Daylesford dream.

Marty didn’t like the bespoke Christian Cole bench seat, which he felt looked too orange against the dark floorboards.

“Where’s the luxury?” he asked. “It lacks the richness of their other rooms. The styling. The furniture. There’s nothing about it that makes you go aha, I really remember the loungeroom of House One.”

Shaynna Blaze complained: “The lack of sophistication in here really throws me. We are at Daylesford not an apartment block.”

Ben and Emma copped it all on the chin, admitting they agreed with the unenthusiastic summation.

Sonny and Alicia’s layout woes continued, with their decision to create a poky living area and placing a showstopping fireplace in the wrong spot a misstep in all the judges’ eyes.

Alicia and Sonny also took the scathing reviews of their efforts with good grace. Although crestfallen by yet another week of negative feedback, the Queenslanders admitted they had struggled to find the right lay-out and would rework the room to take on the judges’ feedback.

“I reckon this is the most confused room that they have done,” Shaynna decreed after pointing out the clashing decor choices which had jarringly introduced provincial furnishings to their previously mid-century western aesthetic.

“They got all the styling wrong. All of it. I’m really concerned about their style direction.”

While it would be relatively simple to switch out some chairs and cushions, elements like the brick fireplace (which the judges all loved but felt was in completely the wrong spot) would be impossible to alter. And that had a flow-on effect to the rest of the space.

Pacing the floor in disgust, Marty said the space allocated to the living room was roughly the same area as you’d find in an inner-city apartment.

“They have really, really stuffed this room up,” he added.

By comparison, Han and Can came out of their judging with a glowing report.

Han and Can were unlucky not to win with a layout and styling the judges all loved.

It was a welcome relief after they dealt with the fallout of being accused of copying Alicia and Sonny’s spa room.

The couple also managed to run afoul of Foreman Dan too when they were caught red handed breaking the rules only to lie about it.

Pressed for time, Can decided to rinse her paint brushes out the front of their house rather than trudging to the designated washing bays.

It sounds like no big deal, but as Dan pointed out, the run-off from the brushes could easily contaminate the area’s natural springs if not disposed of properly.

When sprung by eagle-eyed Dan, the girls claimed the puddle of white water on their site had been left by a plasterer and not their sneaky brush dousing efforts.

Dan checked the security footage and saw that they had lied. Again.

“They’ve washed paint. Tipped out paint. They’ve lied to me. And they are not taking ownership,” Dan said.

Like so many contestants before her, Can discovers there’s no point lying when there’s a camera in every corner.

When confronted, Han again tried to blame the plasterer until a sheepish Can owned up.

Thankfully, their room reveal ultimately came without drama (except for a few evil side eyes from Alicia).

“Han and Can, thank god there are no crazy blues,” Marty said approvingly as he strode into their lounge relieved not to see any controversial punches of paint colour like they had used in the main bedroom. It has broad appeal but it’s not boring.”

Shaynna felt the room had elegant energy, pointing out the pearlescent plaster fireplace and stylish artwork.

All three went weak at the knees over the Christian Cole dining table.

“Han and Can, you’ve grown up,” she smiled as Alicia again rolled her eyes. “I’m going to call the girls the dark horse. They could win. I am so excited for them.”

FINAL SCORES

Emma and Ben: 22

Can and Han: 27.5

Britt and Taz: 28.5

Sonny and Alicia: 21

Robby and Mat: 29.5

MISSED AN EPISODE? HERE’S ALL OUR RECAPS SO FAR

Episode 1: Why no NSW applicants were good enough for The Block

Episode 2: The worst day on The Block

Episode 3/4: ‘Tear them off’: teams forced to rip tiles from walls

Episode 5: Judges feedback leaves one contestant vomiting

Episode 6: Dan and Dani’s heartbreak