Josh Packham Says The Block Keeps Recreating His Cheating Scandal

Josh and his twin brother Luke became two of the franchise's most controversial contestants after they used a leaked production schedule to plan ahead during Fans v Faves.

Five years later, Josh thinks the scandal helped reset what audiences expect from the renovation competition.

Josh Says He Was Never Really A Block Fan

Despite being cast on the Fans side of the season, Josh told Chattr that he had never watched the show before appearing on it.

“I never watched The Block before I went on it,” he said, adding that he still does not watch the series.

Josh said that lack of familiarity contributed to the brothers breaking rules early in the competition. In one incident, a builder was seen helping them paint, something Josh says he did not realise was prohibited.

The much bigger controversy came when Josh and Luke used a photograph of the production schedule to work out which rooms were coming next. The advantage triggered one of the show's most memorable scandals and followed them long after the renovation was over.

Does The Block Need A New Cheating Scandal Every Season?

Josh now argues that later seasons have leaned on cheating accusations and contestant feuds because viewers expect the same level of drama.

“They basically have to do that every season now,” he said, suggesting the ratings would suffer without a major controversy.

That is Josh's assessment rather than confirmation that producers manufacture scandals. The Block has continued to generate rule disputes and accusations, but every season comes with its own contestants, circumstances and very expensive renovation problems.

Josh also remembered clashing with almost every contestant apart from Tanya and Vito during the 2021 season. With that much conflict already simmering, the leaked schedule did not exactly arrive in a peaceful workplace.

The Twins Are Still Part Of The Reality TV Conversation

Josh and Luke have since returned to television on The Traitors Australia, where their twin connection immediately inspired a new round of strategy theories.

Luke has already rejected suggestions that the twins cheated on The Traitors, insisting there was no secret pre-show plan between them.

The brothers may have left their renovation tools behind, but Josh is clearly happy to keep debating the scandal that made them impossible to ignore.