Fans React To The Block’s First-Ever Forewoman Leonie Akhidenor: ‘Incredible Opportunity’
Melburnian Leonie Akhidenor has made reality TV history by becoming The Block‘s first forewoman ever, revealing she manifested her spot as top dog while watching last year’s finale.
On Monday, September 7, Leonie made history after good ol’ Scotty Cam announced that Foreman Dan would be taking paternity leave to look after his newborn, Fletcher, and his wifey, Dani.
“As we’re all aware, Dan and Dani have welcomed baby Fletcher to the world, which is absolutely fantastic news. So, Dan’s going to have a couple of weeks off. But I’d like to introduce you to his replacement, Leonie Akhidenor,” Cam said.
“Please be kind to her,” he continued, as blockheads expressed their excitement for “female energy on-site”.
“We’re really excited to have some female energy in that type of position on site,” Courtney and Sev shared in a confessional.
Reflecting on the history-making move, the registered builder and podcaster told news.com.au that she told her husband last year she would be joining the show, manifesting her reign as forewoman.
“He was just looking at me like, ‘Eyeroll, yeah, sure thing, Leonie,’ and I was like, ‘No, no, I will,’” she told the publication.
“I literally had it in my head that I am going to really put my best foot forward and see if they would consider me in any sort of role within the show.”
After two months of “cold pitching” herself and her experience, Leonie revealed she received a message from a spokesperson from The Block who said: “Thank you so much for this pitch. If there is an opportunity for you on the show, we’ll certainly reach out.”
Months later, she received a call-back, with someone asking her to jump on the show to fill in Dan’s shoes.
“And then I hear, ‘Hi, this is so-and-so from The Block, just wondering if you still want to be on the show’, and I literally nearly dropped the phone,” she revealed to news.com.au.
During Leonie’s visit on House One’s Adam and Jolene, she expressed she was “living the dream” and that she’s “incredibly impressed” by the houses.
“Leonie is lovely. She’s so much nicer than Dan,” Adam shared.
Fans react to The Block‘s newest foreperson Leonie Akhidenor
While fans were hoping for the return of Foreman Keith, fans were overall supportive of Leonie’s reign.
“So good to have a female forewoman,” one person wrote.
“Great to see. Hope she has a great time,” another fan penned.
“Oh my gosh, Leonie — what an incredible opportunity,” another wrote on Instagram.
Not to get all sappy, but seeing Leonie step in as foreperson is exactly what The Block needs. She’s truly the embodiment of icon behaviour. A mother. A podcaster. A builder and a role model? What can’t she do?
