The Block 2026 Episode 31 recap: Jolene furious at Wyatt for being in her carport

Is there anything that strikes more fear than the words “group project”.

And it unfolds on The Block exactly as it did at school – with some people doing their bit to renovate a crisis accommodation unit, and others nowhere to be seen.

Tonight it’s Adam and Jolene’s team who are lagging, though to be fair, their team is entirely made up of contestants who are also trying to get their laundry and rumpus rooms finished.

Block 2024 winners Charlotte and Maddy are heading up the other team and can concentrate 100 per cent on the challenge units, so it’s no surprise they’re ahead of the game.

It’s not through lack of trying on the part of Rosco, Rick and Adam, who have spent most of their time at the challenge house to the detriment of their own builds.

“I’d rather be here then there,” Rick says. “I don’t care if we finish our laundry or rumpus. I don’t care if we get zero, zero, zero. This is more important.”

Tayla is certainly doing her part to ensure those three zeros are a possibility.

She’s meant to be back on The Block ensuring at least something gets done on her and her dad’s room but when Dan arrives to find an empty house, Tayla’s at the beach. Has any Block contestant every done less actual work ever?

After spending an impressive afternoon demoing his challenge apartment, Wyatt skips the next day in favour of breaking into Rick and Tayla’s house, with the help of Courtney, to recover the olive tree he believes Rick stole from him.

Chantel and Wyatt had earlier that day earmarked every last plant at the onsite Bunnings for themselves, but given Rick and Tayla had actually won at least nine of them in challenges, Rick felt entitled to go and grab his winnings.

After nicking the plant, Wyatt and Courtney decide it would be reasonable to go into Jolene and Adam’s house to go through their deliveries and work out their plans for their rumpus room.

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Jolene returns from a challenge to find Wyatt standing in her carport.

“I heard they had a game changer and I’m just a sticky beak,” is how Courtney justifies herself.

Courtney is quicker than Wyatt when she hears Jolene returning to site, ducking away under the cover of darkness. Wyatt doesn’t even try and get away, instead standing in Jolene’s carport, hand on hips saying “welcome home”.

“What are you doing in my house?” Jolene asks.

“Nothing, looking for Adam,” is Wyatt’s unconvincing reply.

“He’s in the challenge house, where we all should be,” Jolene says before returning to her car to rant at Lisa about the situation.

“It’s a free for all at the moment, an absolute free for all. Everyone is just doing whatever the f**k they want. (Wyatt) doesn’t give a f**k about the community house. He doesn’t give a f**k about the mums that that’s going to look after. Adam’s over there all day because he believes in it. Rick and Rosco are the exact same. Where the f**k is he? Couldn’t give a f**k.”

Lisa tries to calm Jolene down and offers to drive but she has a head of steam up and pretty soon Wyatt finds out how furious she is.

Jolene rants at Lisa in the car after finding Wyatt in her house.

When a producer asks Jolene why she became so enraged at Wyatt given her own husband Adam has a long history of sneaking into other contestants’ houses she alludes to darkness in her past.

“People don’t know my background and what I’ve had to go through on a personal level and that behaviour triggered me. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it,” she says before walking out of the interview.

Wyatt later comes to find her to apologise.

Jolene walks out of an interview after being asked why she found Wyatt intimidating.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. It was just a p***-take for the camera. I heard you got a bit upset and I wanted to apologise,” he says. “I know you’re not a hugger, but I’m sorry.”

“It’s all good mate, thank you,” Jolene says, but later questions the sincerity of the apology before Adam gently reminds her that Wyatt has no idea of her past.

“No, no, he definitely doesn’t know about my past but I don’t think that’s something I need to be forthcoming with a complete stranger,” she says.

While all the teams profess to be happy with their challenge assignment to renovate the units, there’s no doubt it’s making it difficult to finish their Block rooms. Lisa and Rosco are particularly behind, having not even laid their plywood subfloor or insulated or plastered their walls and ceilings.

“It all feels a bit impossible this morning,” Rosco admits when Foreman Dan turns up to give them a hurry up. “I just can’t see how we’re going to get there.”

MISSED AN EPISODE? HERE’S ALL OUR RECAPS SO FAR

Episode 1: First tears shed on season 22 of The Block

Episode 2: ‘I will shut you down’

Episode 3: ‘I won’t help them again’

Episode 4: ‘You will only last five weeks’

Episode 5: Block couple ready to quit after scandal

Episode 6: ‘Everyone is in on it’: Chantel and Wyatt cry foul

Episode 7: Gloves are off as Courtney accuses Rosco of treachery

Episode 8: Dan fuming as Tayla barely lifts a finger

Episode 9: A huge prize causes bitterness in one contestant

Episode 10: Jolene and Tayla fume over controversial bathroom win
Episode 11: Lisa and Rosco fall behind again

Episode 12: Block star’s sad health update