Admittedly, Iโve always had a bit of a soft spot for former Blockhead Dan Reilly (one half of the rather feisty Dan and Dani), but having already competed in two series, I thought it was safe to say that Dan wouldnโt be coming back to The Block anytime soon. Butโฆ I was wrong! The Block Triple Threat sees Dan come back not as a contestant, but rather as a foreboy. Fore-what?! I hear you ask. Iโll let Dan explain this one…
โIโm Keith the foremanโs (fore-man, fore-boy, get it?!) righthand man and we pretty much make sure the build is up to standard.ย As you can imagine, Iโve copped a lot of flak for my name on site. Thereโs been a lot of laughing. But I guess I have to own it. Iโm happy to be theย foreboy, I look at it as if theyโre saying Iโm still young!โ
Having worked as a site manager for a construction company for the last two years, Dan has had considerable experience running a building site, but little did he realise how hard managing The Block would actually be. โI never knew how hard Keithโs job was because thereโs just so much going on. Youโve got the site tradies doing the base build, youโve got the tradies of the contestants, youโve got the contestants themselves and then youโve got all the politics between the contestants, and you get dragged into all of that! Itโs a pretty full-on gig, so at the end of the day, youโre as exhausted as everyone else.โ
Working 13 hours a day, six days a week (he gets to enjoy a sleep-in on Sundays) Dan has had no issues working under Keith, which comes as a surprise, seeing as theyโve not been shy of an argument in the past. โWhen I was a contestant, we did have a few arguments. But we are mates, weโve had a beer and made up! Working under him has been really easy. Obviously, youโd never do anything like The Block normally, so I have been able to learn a lot from both Keith and Scotty.โ
What Dan has found the hardest is navigating his relationships with the contestants, realising he canโt give them too many hints and tips, but rather theyโve got to figure it out themselves. โI sort of still see myself as a contestant, but Iโve kind of jumped ship to the other side and I have to remember that. I have to try not to help and guide the contestants too much. I mean weโre all still friends, we still have a laugh, but when it’s time to be serious, I’m serious with them.โ
So has Dan ever had to put his foot down, in the infamous way Keith does oh so well? Yes! โThere have been a few tiffs with some contestants. I think it was inevitable. It does happen, thatโs just part of the role.โ
With the upcomingย The Block Triple Threatย set to start next week on 27 January, Dan promises we are in for show that has lotsย of tears, lotsย of laughter and is even a little bit brutal! โThereโs never been a dynamic like this before. Weโve got six new couples and the way they have to get onto the show is quite brutal I reckon! And then weโve got three all-star couples competing as well. It does get very full-on at the beginning but it sorts itself out!โ
We can’t wait!
Find allย The Blockย latestย here.
