Wairarapa old girl joins The Block NZ

Emma Diamond, left, from Masterton, and her best friend Courtney MacKay, contestant on The Block NZ 2016. PHOTO/ MEDIAWORKS

A former Wairarapa College girl has been named as a contestant on TV3's The Block NZ.

Emma Diamond, 27, based in Dunedin, is partnered with close friend and fellow Dunedinite Courtney MacKay as one of four teams on the reality building show.

Ms Diamond, born in Pongaroa, attended St Patrick's School and Masterton Intermediate School.

She studied at the University of Otago, and works for the Otago Rugby Union.

TV3 describes MacKay as having a background in interior design.

Emma's father, Brian Diamond, is a well-known stock auctioneer in Wairarapa.

Mr Diamond said he and his wife Annie had known about his daughter's part on the show for several weeks but had been sworn to secrecy.

He said despite being based in Dunedin, Emma was very much "a Wairarapa girl" but secrecy regarding the show meant he could not comment further.

Now in its fifth season, the theme of the 2016 series is "Girls vs Boys".

Among the "boys" are a builder and his apprentice, from Mount Manganui.

The four teams will be renovating a group of 1980s townhouses in the Auckland suburb of Meadowbank.

The show will start screening on May 29.