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The Block
Season 1
No. of episodes	13
Release
Original network	Nine Network
Original release	1 June (2003-06-01) – 17 August 2003 (2003-08-17)
Season chronology
Next → Season 2

The first season of Australian reality television series The Block, retroactively re-titled The Block 2003, aired on the Nine Network. Jamie Durie was announced as host and John McGrath was announced as Judge. The season premiered on 1 June 2003.

The first season of The Block began airing on 1 June 2003 on the Nine Network, replacing Backyard Blitz and Location Location in the network's flagship timeslot of Sunday at 6:30 to 7:30 pm (AEST). The series was presented by Backyard Blitz host Jamie Durie and filmed in Bondi, with the majority of filming being completed prior to the series airing for editing purposes.

Contestants

Selected from approximately 2,000 applicants, the four couples in the series were:

• Adam Thorn (aged 30) and Fiona Mills (27), a married couple from Banksia. A data analyst and former sales representative, the couple had renovated three properties prior to competing on The Block. They renovated the first ground-floor apartment (flat number one) and were widely considered the "show favourites" throughout the course of the series. Their apartment—which was the last to be auctioned—sold for $751,000 earning them the highest profit of $156,000 as well as the winning prize of $100,000. Mills appeared on the cover of Ralph while the series was airing in July 2003.
• Warren Sonin (37) and Gavin Atkins (35), a sales manager and public relations manager from Elizabeth Bay.
• Paul (30) and Kylie Ingram (31), a plumber and travel agent married for two years
• Phil Rankine (33) and Amity Dry (24), marketing executive and singer married for a year from Kirribilli

The combined auction profits were $443,000.

Room Wins

Auction

Reception

The first season was a ratings success with an average nightly reviewership of 2.239 million. The Grand Finale of the season had a viewership of 3.115 million viewers.

References

1. Ellis, Scott (1 June 2003). "Doing their block". The Sun-Herald. Sydney. p. 8 (Television).
2. Melloy, Neil (24 May 2003). "Reality is a queer thing". The Courier Mail. Brisbane. p. 27.
3. ^ Warneke, Ross (5 June 2003). "The Block's a winner or I'm out to pasture". The Age. Melbourne. p. 6 (Green Guide).
4. ^ Wells, Rachel; Jenkins, Melissa (18 August 2003). "Everyone a winner as buyers vie for chip off the Block". The Age. Melbourne. p. 3.
5. "They've been around the Block – now they'll chase their dream". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 23 August 2003. p. 5.
6. Williams, Nadine; Hurt, Jessica, eds. (28 July 2003). "Fiona tries another type of stripping". The Advertiser. p. 20.
7. Sutton, Candace (8 June 2003). "Gay TV tut-tutting straight from past - Radio chip at new Block guarantees top ratings". The Sun-Herald. Sydney: Fairfax Media. p. 46.
8. Jinman, Richard (5 June 2003). "Doing their block down at Bondi". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. p. 19 (Green Guide).
9. "Does The Block judging affect final auction results? | finder.com.au". www.finder.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 November 2015.
10. "Watch The Block - Episode 12 | 9Jumpin". www.9jumpin.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015.
11. "More runs around Block". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 August 2003. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
12. Renovated Block A Major Success Herald Sun
13. "Top 20 programs 1998-2009 - Top programs - in the archive - Industry trends - Television - Fact Finders".

• 2003 Australian television seasons
• The Block (Australian TV series)