A last minute plot twist brought contestants to tears on The Block NZ. Video/Three
The host of The Block NZ has today defended the pitiful profits won during last night's auction saying the show was not about giving contestants potfuls of money.
Speaking on Three's AM Show Mark Richardson said last night's rollercoaster Block auction and upset victory when the Hamilton dads' housewent back under the hammer and sold for the highest profit was one of the most difficult moments he had ever dealt with.
He also admitted it was difficult to stay positive for the contestants as auctioneers struggled to command any decent profit above the reserve price.
However, the popular property show was not premised on giving contestants huge sums of money.
"All we promise is that the winners of The Block make $100,000. We don't say come on The Block and you will make a fortune. You are at the mercy of the property market and that auction room. That's all," he told The AM Show the morning after the shock auction result.
"We're not a charity. We're a reality TV show and we say 'come on here, here's a house...we'll set the reserves below market valuation and hopefully you'll walk away with the grand prize'."
He said it was a tough night especially after Palmerston North besties Stacey Cottrill and Yanita McLeay had to deal with losing the spoils of victory on air.
"When we went to that final scene and all of a sudden that victory was taken off the girls, that was heartbreaking."
He also said the feeding frenzy of last year's auction had evaporated and the pressure and competition amongst buyers wasn't where they wanted it.
Winning figures from the past six seasons of The Block.
Last night's televised auction saw some of the lowest profits across the board in The Block NZ history.
The winning house eventually sold for $1,250,000 netting Hamilton dads Andy Murdie and Nate Ross a $30,000 profit making them the overall winners of season six and cashing in on the $100,000 prize.
"During the auctions I was really disappointed for them and it was really difficult to stay positive," said Richardson.
Since the show ended thousands of disgruntled fans have taken to the official Facebook page to support the Palmerston North contestants and denounce the decision to allow the fathers to have a second shot at selling their home on the night.
Two givealittle pages have been set up to support the losing teams. So far nearly $5,000 has been raised for Christchurch brothers Levi and Zachary Inglis who walked away with a paltry $1000 profit.
