The chief producer of The Block has hit again at claims from viewers concerning alleged “bullying” on this 12 months’s sequence.
Producer Julian Cress has rubbished strategies of any type of bullying between contestants and stated that he’s “not comfortable” with viewers for claiming in any other case.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority acquired 28 stories concerning the 2023 season of The Block – now in its nineteenth season.
Talking with TV Tonight, Cress refuted any suggestion that contestants have confronted bullying and known as out those that used the phrase on social media.
“We would have liked robust personalities. We would have liked a little bit of psychological warfare. I might say that my expectations for all of that have been dramatically exceeded,” he stated.
“I see that individuals throw round phrases like bullying on social media. They have been referring to Leah calling a physique company assembly and asking Steph why she didn’t get her father inducted. It doesn’t quantity to bullying for my part. I perceive that individuals select sides with personalities within the present. However I’m not comfortable when contestants get accused of bullying after they didn’t.”
Whereas the sequence has been airing, many viewers have lashed out at “imply women” Kristy Beams and Leah Milton over their remedy of their co-stars.
Nevertheless, the chief producer went on to insist that he doesn’t suppose something will come from the ACMA investigation into the present following the accusations from followers.
“Bullying is abhorrent, and no person ought to ever tolerate bullying within the office,” he stated. “I don’t prefer it when individuals throw that phrase round as an accusation. In that case, I don’t imagine that something that Leah or Kristy or any of these individuals did on the present quantities to bullying. I imply, it might be thought-about unhealthy behaviour by individuals, however bullying it’s not.
He continued: It’s battle. It’s individuals speaking s**t about different individuals behind their backs, which is what actuality tv has been since Survivor and Huge Brother premiered 23 years in the past.”
In the meantime, it’s not the primary time a actuality present has been investigated over claims of bullying.
In 2021, ACMA launched an investigation into whether or not MAFS breached the Industrial Tv Code of Apply after followers complained concerning the present for airing “gaslighting” and “abusive” scenes that includes Bryce Ruthven and Melissa Rawson.
It’s been a controversial 12 months for The Block. The present hit headlines earlier this week following claims that the sequence needed to be “re-edited” final minute.
