You’re driving home after a long day at work and wondering if the late night store is open, scratching at the vain hope that “dinner” might resemble something edible and not a re-heated old pie. Sound familiar? Long days in the office and little time at home is a common feature of today’s world and the winners of TV3’s The Block NZ, Alex and Corban, like many, were at the end of their tether. Most families or couples might consider moving house or changing job, but not newlyweds Alex and Corban.
Their approach to shaking up their lifestyle was the allegorical equivalent of a bull in a china shop. Alex, a successful fashion buyer quit her job and Corban, started the process of selling their house. Why? Because they had successfully become the latest team to join TV3's The Block NZ.
Their gamble paid off when they broke records and went onto win TV3's The Block NZ 2014 in magnificent style and we spent five minutes with the couple and grilled them on their favourite films, snacks and what the future holds. Let’s get to know them better (and by better, we mean the nitty gritty stuff/super important stuff that everyone wants to know):
Q: Marmite or peanut butter?
A: Marmite (sung in unison)
Q: Chippies or chocolate?
A: Chocolate (giggled in unison)
Q: a) How do you relax together and B) on your own?
A: Watch a movie in bed and have a massage (Alex), browse the net (Corban)
Q: Do you cook dinner together? If so, what will you have?
A: (Alex) Corban doesn’t cook (at which point Corban nods solemnly) but he cooks a good breakfast.
(Corban) Yeah, my breakfasts are pretty good. We do cook nachos together though?
(Alex) Yeah, we make pretty decent nachos. Really good ones.
Q: Red or white?
A: Always red wine
Q: What is your favourite Disney movie?
A: (Alex) (Laughing) Did you know what Corban had NEVER seen the Lion King?
(Corban) Yeah it’s true, I only watched Lion King about a year ago. (cue gasped shocks around the room)
(Alex) But if we were actually going to say a favourite it would be The Little Mermaid.
(Corban) …and Monsters Inc, that’s a pretty cool movie
(Alex) Yeah, that’s a really funny movie. Is it actually Disney?
(Corban) I dunno, but I wanna see How to Train your dragon
Q: If you could choose three places in the world to visit, where would you go?
A: 1 - Greek islands/Mediterranean, 2 – South America (we’ve already been, but we would go again), 3 – Ireland. We also have somewhere else and that would be Canada. Really wanna see Lake Louis.
Q: If you were to buy each other gifts, what would they be?
(Alex) I would definitely give Corban fishing equipment
(Corban) It would have to be shopping related. I would take her shopping for a dress
(Alex) With a pizza? Like Pretty Woman style. (Every woman in the room sighs)
Q: Describe date night
A: (Alex) I would cook Corban a meal or take him out for a meal somewhere nice. Like on Auckland Harbour.
(Corban) It would have to be a picnic with all the trimmings and champagne.
Q: Who are your favourite bands?
A: David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, Bonner
Q: Who would play you in the movie of Alex and Corban, a life of Renovations?
A: Angelina Jolie and Bruce Willis (on account of the headgear)
Q: How would you friends describe you?
A: (Corban) They would describe Alex as funny and always busy
(Alex) (laughing) They would describe Corban is the guy who knows everything and ‘Corban from The Block’
Q: What is your least favourite fruit?
A: (Corban) It would have to be the orange. They are just too much effort to peel and you get really messy.
Q: Tell us something people might not know about you?
A: (Corban) Alex is a really good singer, like really good.
(Alex) Yeah I sang Christmas carols in front of 10, 000 people
Q: What does the future hold?
A: (Corban) I am looking at my options and have some really interesting projects for 2015, so I am pretty excited.
(Alex) I am looking for a new job, but as there is limited scope for it in New Zealand, I have been considering working on a business venture? Interior design, but with technical support from Corban.
That’s a wrap.
by Katie Byrne – a new fan of TV3's The Block NZ, and Kiwibank Social Media Editor.