The Block 2021 episode 23 and 24 recap: Shelley Craft may be kicking off new uproar after encouraging teams to shirk the rules

There’s been some truly incomprehensible challenges on The Block, but last night’s takes the cake.

“I hate a challenge,” Georgia groans when she’s given the news, echoing the views of every regular Block viewer.

‘Old-fashioned public toilet’ — Block room slammed

The contestants are dispatched to Williamstown where, for reasons unknown, they compete in a blindfolded kayak race to see who gets to pick a piece of old tat from a decrepit boat to turn it into a piece of art of furniture which must appear in their next room.

Tanya and Vito’s hideous creation. Picture: Channel 9

Ronnie and Georgia use their brains and make an unimpressive, but importantly, inoffensive, hanging shelf from some old bits of driftwood and some rope.

Josh and Luke repurpose the boat’s seats to make bedside tables which are not hideous, something that’s actually an achievement in itself.

Kirsty and Jesse win with their A-frame stool with inset boat propeller.

Mark and Mitch attach a steering wheel and lantern to a bit of plywood ineptly painted with vines by Mitch.

But it’s Tanya and Vito who make the biggest hash of things, by inexplicably choosing the most enormous bit of hard rubbish they can — a pallet — attaching the boat’s radio to it and draping it with some plants. It’s not only an eyesore, it’s a huge eyesore, and it has to appear in the kids room that they hope will break their losing streak.

But while they’ve created a problem for themselves, it’s not as bad as the one Josh and Luke have created.

The Block’s licensed builders (whose names are on all the house’s documentation) have returned from some time off to discover that the twins have built proper walls around their almost-winning outdoor bathroom where the plans indicate screens.

Scott Cam tells Luke his outdoor bathroom walls have to go. Picture: Channel 9

The use of walls means the area is no longer an outdoor bath, but is considered for planning purposes to be an extra bathroom, effectively an extension without planning permission.

“It’s an illegal building. It compromises the whole site because it hasn’t been approved,” Scott Cam tells them.

They’re ordered to remove the walls immediately, an order that understandably breaks Luke’s heart.

“This is my hero shot on my real estate page,” a tearful Luke says. “I’m overwhelmed and I just want to get off site.”

As he leaves for a drive to clear his head, Josh gets on with painting the bedroom they’re presenting for judging this week.

“If Luke’s upset, I’m upset,” he says.

The pair hire some extra tradies to help them remove the walls in one piece, with a plan to go to the council to get permission to install walls rather than privacy screens.

“I’m not willing to lie down yet,” Luke says when he returns.

Meanwhile, Scott Cam and Shelley Craft continue their inspection tour of this week’s rooms.

They’re particularly impressed with Tanya and Vito’s kids’ room, with double bed, plus king single bunk above it, and study nook.

Shelley tells Vito and Tanya they shouldn’t put their ugly creation in their kids’ bedroom. Picture: Channel 9

She tells them under no circumstances to install their ugly pallet/boat radio/plant box combo — despite the fact that was part of the completion. Her advice is they should break it apart and somehow place just one part of it in their room because they so badly need their first room win.

Her advice to Mark and Mitch is the same. She tells them to remove the steering wheel and lantern from their ugly piece, and attach them to the bunk beds they’re furnishing their kids’ room with instead.

Shelley tells Mark and Mitch they should dismantle their strange challenge item. Picture: Channel 9

She also tells Josh and Luke they could put their upcycled bedside tables inside their built-in wardrobes to hide them from the judges.

All this seems somewhat against the spirit of the entire challenge, and is possibly designed to annoy the contestants who actually created pieces that wouldn’t be room ruiners.

No wonder Georgia hates challenges.

MISSED AN EPISODE?

Episode 21: ‘Old-fashioned public toilet’ — Block room slammed

Episode 19 & 20: Jealousy runs rampant during tense Block challenge

Episode 18: Superior organisational skills or cheats? Mitch and Mark in hot water

Episode 17: ”It’s crap”: The Block’s tackiest room slammed

Episode 16: ‘Piece of trash’ The Block descends into chaos

Episode 15: Block cheat flushed by hidden cameras

Episode 14: What caused Block’s biggest cheating scandal in TV history

Episode 13: Master bedroom reveal marred by cheating controversy

Episode 11 & 12: Georgia threatens Block foreman for ruining plan

Episode 10: Serious Block accident leads to walkout