‘The Block’ Australia 2016 to feature show's first same-sex female couple; Show timing to clash with Ten's 'Australian Survivor'

“The Block” 2016 is set to premiere in August and Channel 9 has revealed its five teams who were tasked to renovate a massive former soap factory, built in the 1920s, in Port Melbourne. The five couples are already halfway through renovating the heritage soap factory. This season will feature the show’s first same-sex female couple and its oldest couple.

Makers of “The Block” 2016 has challenged rival Ten’s “Australian Survivor” in the Aussie reality TV wars. “The Block” and “Australian Survivor” are set to go head-to-head, right after the Olympics, in the 7.30 p.m. weeknight timeslot. Filming for the show began on May 26.

The teams have had to battle through one of Melbourne’s wettest and coldest winters in recent years. This year’s “The Block” received more than 10,000 applications with the final teams covering Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y.

“The building is an absolute ripper. It is our first art deco project. It is a really wonderful period in the history of design but incredibly challenging for contestants to get their head around in 2016. The largest of apartments is 270 square metres. That is a good size larger than your Australian home,” co-creator Julian Cress told News.com.au.

This year’s “The Block” teams include account executive Sasha (42) and property stylist Julia (31) from Melbourne, VIC, handyman Dan (54) and hairdresser Carleen (52) from Perth, WA, police officer Chris (34) and teacher Kim (32) from Newcastle, NSW, primary school teachers Andy and Ben, both 25, from Geelong, VIC and electrician William (25) and quantity surveyor Karlie (also 25) from Queensland.

Sash and Julia have completed a $400,000 home renovation and the couple has been together for four years. Dan and Carleen are the oldest couple to compete in the show. The couple has renovated seven houses and comes with a huge experience. Andy and Ben have no prior renovation experience.

Cress took a dig at Ten’s “Australian Survivor” reality show stating that “The Block” 2016 will make the Ten reality show look like a Sunday picnic.

“When you combine the demolition and the renovation and the wind and the rain and the late nights and all of the other challenges, The Block will make Australian Survivor look like a Sunday picnic,” he said.