Tim & Arty's new lives 'WE'D NEVER DO IT AGAIN!’

Last year's champions reveal what they've done with the money and why they wouldn't revisit the reno reality show

- Debbie Harrison

Eight months after walking away with the biggest- ever payday on The Block NZ, Auckland besties Tim Cotton and Arthur Gillies are still getting their heads around what to do with the $760,000 jackpot.

Following a season that took almost two years to film due to COVID interruptions, the childhood friends took out the grand prize last November, making $660,000 on their house and a bonus $100,000 for winning the overall competition.

But what viewers don’t know is that there was a moment where Tim and Arty thought they might not even complete the series!

“After we spent a year in limbo, we considered whether to come back or not,” explains Arty. “I wasn’t so sure. Tim had to give me a motivational chat to get me back in. He told me we needed to dig in and that it could change our lives – and it did. It was an awesome experience and the timing couldn’t have been better. We sold at the peak of the property market!”

You might imagine that three-quarters of a million dollars in the hands of two 27-year-old larrikins might mean a crazy spending spree, but the boys reveal they’ve been very sensible with their windfall.

“I bought a second-hand car, but other than that, we’ve left most of it in the bank,” Tim tells. “It’s the safest place for it.”