Latest news with #LegoMastersAustralia
Daily Mail
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Gold Logie winner Hamish Blake fined $400 in shock airport incident
Two-time Gold Logie winner Hamish Blake recently found himself in an unexpected predicament during a trip to New Zealand, where a routine airport inspection turned into a costly affair. The Lego Masters Australia host, 43, revealed on the Hamish and Andy podcast that he was halted at customs when a suspicious item was detected in his backpack. Hamish recounted the perplexing moment his bag was singled out by an officer. 'My backpack has a lot of compartments – it's actually the world's best backpack,' Hamish joked. 'I'm like, "Listen, you might not be familiar with this particular backpack, where is it? How can I help you? Can I find this thing for you?" He goes, "no, I'll need to do it".' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. To his bemusement, the officer retrieved a small red apple hidden under an emergency rain jacket in the front pouch of his bag. 'Is this yours?' the officer asked, to which Hamish said he humorously responded, 'I've never seen that apple before in my life.' Despite the innocent nature of the mishap, he was slapped with a hefty $400 fine by Biosecurity New Zealand. The comedian speculated the apple may have inadvertently found its way into his bag during a previous trip to South Africa. Reflecting on the incident, he shared his disbelief at the consequences of what he dubbed an 'accidental apple mishap.' Despite the fine and the incident now on his record, Hamish maintained his trademark humour, joking about the apple's international journey and its unintended role as a gift to the people of NZ. Hamish has been nominated for a Gold Logie this year for his presenting work on Lego Masters Australia. It comes after a surprise frontrunner emerged in the race to take out the coveted Gold Logie at this year's TV WEEK Logie Awards. Beloved Home and Away star Lynne McGranger, 72, is now the clear favourite to win Australian television's top prize, after a wave of public support and sentimental backing for her 33-year run as Irene Roberts on the long-running soap. According to betting giant Sportsbet, McGranger has stormed into the lead with odds of just $1.37 – far ahead of her nearest rivals. She's now well ahead of A Current Affair's Ally Langdon ($5.00), LEGO Masters host Hamish Blake ($8.50), ABC presenter Lisa Millar ($10.00), and comedian Julia Morris ($11.00). Meanwhile, MasterChef Australia star Poh Ling Yeow sits at $13.00, while 2023 Gold Logie winner Sonia Kruger has blown out to $17.00. The veteran actress, who earlier this year announced her departure from Home and Away, is being widely tipped to take home the Gold as a touching send-off from viewers. At the ceremony, beloved rocker Jimmy Barnes is set to take the stage at The Star Sydney on August 3, bringing four decades of fan-favourite hits to Aussie ears. Meanwhile, comedian Sam Pang will host the event for the third time. Sam's cheeky and irreverent comedy as host last year and in 2023 proved to be a big hit with audiences and TV's A-list, as well as a major ratings winner for Seven. The ceremony will be available to watch from 7:00pm on Sunday, August 3 on Seven and 7Plus. 65th TV WEEK LOGIE AWARDS NOMINATIONS TV WEEK GOLD LOGIE – Most Popular Personality on Australian Television Ally Langdon - A Current Affair, The Olympic Games Paris 2024, 9Network Hamish Blake - LEGO Masters Australia, 9Network Julia Morris - I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10 Lisa Millar - Back Roads, ABC News Breakfast, Muster Dogs: Where Are They Now, Muster Dogs: Collies & Kelpies, ABC Lynne McGranger - Home and Away, Seven Network Poh Ling Yeow - MasterChef Australia, Network 10 Sonia Kruger - The Voice, Dancing With The Stars, Logies Red Carpet Show, Seven Network Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter Hamish Blake - LEGO Masters Australia, 9Network Julia Morris - I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10 Ricki-Lee - Australian Idol, Seven Network Sonia Kruger - The Voice, Dancing With The Stars, Logies Red Carpet Show, Seven Network Todd Woodbridge - Tipping Point Australia, Australian Open, The Olympic Games Paris 2024, Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, 9Network Zan Rowe - Take 5 With Zan Rowe, ABC New Year's Eve, ABC Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent Guy Montgomery - Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont Spelling Bee, ABC Hailey Pinto - Home and Away, Seven Network Jenny Tian - Taskmaster Australia, Network 10 Kate Miller-Heidke - The Voice, Seven Network Kylah Day - Territory, Netflix Sofia Levin - MasterChef Australia, Network 10 Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter Ally Langdon - A Current Affair, 9Network David Speers - Insiders, ABC Michael Usher - 7NEWS, 7NEWS Spotlight, Seven Network Peter Overton - 9News, 9Network Sarah Ferguson - 7.30, ABC Tara Brown - 60 Minutes, Dangerous Lies: Unmasking Belle Gibson, 9Network TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actor in a Drama Lloyd Griffith - Return To Paradise, ABC Michael Dorman - Territory, Netflix Robert Taylor - Territory, Netflix Sam Corlett - Territory, Netflix Sam Neill - The Twelve, BINGE / FOXTEL Tai Hara - Return To Paradise, ABC TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actress in a Drama Alycia Debnam-Carey - Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix Anna Samson - Return To Paradise, ABC Anna Torv - Territory, Netflix Ayesha Madon - Heartbreak High, Netflix Kaitlyn Dever - Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix Lynne McGranger - Home and Away, Seven Network TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Aaron Chen - Fisk, ABC Ben Miller - Austin, ABC Clancy Brown - Good Cop/Bad Cop, Stan Luke Cook - Good Cop/Bad Cop, Stan Michael Theo - Austin, ABC Patrick Brammall - Colin From Accounts, BINGE / FOXTEL TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Harriet Dyer - Colin From Accounts, BINGE / FOXTEL Jenna Owen - Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story, Stan Kitty Flanagan - Fisk, ABC Leighton Meester - Good Cop/Bad Cop, Stan Sally Phillips, Austin - ABC Vic Zerbst - Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story, Stan TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Supporting Actor Ashley Zukerman - Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix Darren Gilshenan - Colin From Accounts, BINGE / FOXTEL Glenn Butcher - Fisk, ABC Mark Coles Smith - Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix Matt Nable - Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix Sam Delich - Territory, Netflix TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE – Best Supporting Actress Aisha Dee - Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix Chloé Hayden - Heartbreak High, Netflix Julia Zemiro - Fisk, ABC Marg Downey - The Newsreader, ABC Michelle Lim Davidson - The Newsreader, ABC Tilda Cobham-Hervey - Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix Best Drama Program Bump - Stan Heartbreak High - Netflix Return To Paradise - ABC Territory - Netflix The Newsreader - ABC The Twelve - BINGE / FOXTEL Best Miniseries or Telemovie Apple Cider Vinegar - Netflix Critical Incident - Stan Fake - Paramount+ How To Make Gravy - BINGE / FOXTEL Human Error - 9Network Plum - ABC Best Entertainment Program ABC New Year's Eve - ABC Australian Idol - Seven Network Countdown 50 Years On - ABC Dancing With The Stars - Seven Network The Voice - Seven Network Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight - 9Network Best Current Affairs Program 60 Minutes - 9Network 7.30 - ABC 7NEWS Spotlight - Seven Network A Current Affair - 9Network Australian Story - ABC Four Corners - ABC Best Scripted Comedy Program Austin - ABC Colin From Accounts - BINGE / FOXTEL Fisk - ABC Good Cop/Bad Cop - Stan Melbourne International Comedy Festival - ABC Optics - ABC Best Comedy Entertainment Program Gruen - ABC Hard Quiz - ABC Have You Been Paying Attention? - Network 10 Sam Pang Tonight - Network 10 Thank God You're Here - Network 10 The Weekly with Charlie Pickering - ABC Best Competition Reality Program Alone Australia - SBS Australian Survivor: Brains V Brawn II - Network 10 LEGO Masters Australia - 9Network MasterChef Australia - Network 10 My Kitchen Rules - Seven Network The Block - 9Network Best Structured Reality Program Farmer Wants A Wife - Seven Network Gogglebox Australia - Network 10 Married At First Sight - 9Network Muster Dogs: Collies & Kelpies - ABC Shark Tank Australia - Network 10 The Real Housewives of Sydney - BINGE / FOXTEL Best Lifestyle Program Better Homes and Gardens - Seven Network Do You Want To Live Forever? - 9Network Gardening Australia - ABC Grand Designs Australia - ABC Restoration Australia - ABC Travel Guides - 9Network Best News Coverage or Public Affairs Report Betrayal of Trust, Four Corners - ABC Building Bad, 60 Minutes - 9Network Courage & Science, A Current Affair - 9Network Cyclone Alfred, 7NEWS - Seven Network Melbourne Protests, Sunrise - Seven Network Trump Assassination Attempt, 7NEWS - Seven Network Best Factual or Documentary Program Big Miracles - 9Network Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story - Seven Network Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian - ABC The Assembly - ABC Tsunami: 20 Years On - 9Network Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story - 9Network Best Sports Coverage 2024 AFL Finals Series - Seven Network 2024 State of Origin - 9Network 2025 Australian Open Finals - 9Network Australia v India: Border – Gavaskar Trophy - Kayo Sports / FOXTEL CommBank Matildas V China PR - Network 10 The Olympic Games Paris 2024 - 9Network / Stan Sport Best Children's Program Bluey - ABC Ginger and the Vegesaurs - ABC Hard Quiz Kids - ABC Little J & Big Cuz - NITV / ABC Play School - ABC Rock Island Mysteries - Network 10
West Australian
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Lynne McGranger: Home and Away star ‘bewildered' by first Gold Logie nomination
Overwhelmed. Overjoyed. Bewildered. Excited. Lovely. TV legend Lynne McGranger was certainly not lost for adjectives when describing how she felt about receiving her first Gold Logie for most popular personality nomination, alongside fellow female TV royalty and Hamish Blake. The 72-year-old is in the running for the top gong alongside Sonia Kruger, Ally Langdon, Julia Morris, Lisa Millar and Poh Ling Yeow. She is also hoping to take out a silver Logie for best lead actress in a drama. It was the end of an era for the Home and Away favourite, who left the show in March after playing her beloved character Irene Roberts for nearly 33 years. 'Look, if I'd have known this was going to happen, I would have left this show years ago,' she said. 'I already feel like I've gone out on a career high, truly, just because my departure from the bay is one of my proudest achievements. 'And just being nominated for silver and gold is extraordinary, I couldn't have dreamt of anything better. 'And oh gosh, if I win, I'll be speechless. No, who am I kidding? I'm never speechless.' McGranger said if she is awarded the golden trophy, she won't be able to top Larry Emdur's pledge of getting a tattoo on his bum, but has made a promise of her own. 'I promised Larry this morning on The Morning Show that I will carry it with me everywhere for a year,' she said. 'I will show people I don't know on the street. I will say, got a little something to show you, and walk up to complete strangers and drive people mad with it.' Named among a group of nominees consisting of all women, except for Lego Masters Australia's Blake, McGranger said she was honoured to be amongst such 'feminine royalty'. She said it was a testament to the fact that women beyond a certain age were no longer 'invisible'. 'I can imagine what people in Albo's government must have felt like when something's just all full of women and one token man,' she said. 'It really says a lot about women in our society, and women on TV, and all the different roles that we play. And I don't mean that in an acting sense. It's just great that women have been acknowledged, and are being acknowledged. It's truly wonderful.' When the 65th TV Week Logies take place at The Star in Sydney on August 3, it certainly won't be McGranger's first rodeo as she has been attending since her first Logies in 1994 and has probably only missed two or three over the decades. Aside from McGranger getting started on her outfit planning, she is also getting stuck into rehearsals for a play Grandparents Club. It's quite a busy schedule, but one would think the longest-serving female cast member of a TV soap opera in Australia could cope, no worries at all. But really, McGranger said she has been busier since she stopped filming. 'I think when you're just doing one thing and focusing on one thing, you let other things go by the wayside and figure they're not that important and they'll get done,' she said. 'But now, of course, I've just been overwhelmed with everything. 'But you know what, I'm having a good time. I think while you're still above ground, you've got to really just embrace what's going on in your life.' McGranger is back with The Grandparents Club for a second year and said it felt like her acting career had come full circle. 'I started out in community theatre and I just love that life,' she said. 'Honestly, I think I should have been a rock star on the road, because I love touring, and I love all the 'franticness' that goes with that, it's helping to keep me feeling young at heart.' While the play isn't coming to WA at this stage, McGranger said she was disappointed she won't make it over to Perth for Telethon but hoped to make a visit before the year's out. 'I have a feeling, our last show is the night of Telethon. And I said to Jason, my publicist, 'Can't they push Telethon back a week? Because I could come then'. And then he's very kindly said, 'It's not all about you',' she said. 'But you know, that's what happens when you're not on Home and Away anymore.' Lynne McGranger is a nominee for both the Gold and Silver Logies at the 65th TV WEEK Logie Awards, airing exclusively on Seven and 7plus Sunday, 3 August. Click here to vote.
Perth Now
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Home & Away star ‘bewildered' by first Gold Logie nomination
Overwhelmed. Overjoyed. Bewildered. Excited. Lovely. TV legend Lynne McGranger was certainly not lost for adjectives when describing how she felt about receiving her first Gold Logie for most popular personality nomination, alongside fellow female TV royalty and Hamish Blake. The 72-year-old is in the running for the top gong alongside Sonia Kruger, Ally Langdon, Julia Morris, Lisa Millar and Poh Ling Yeow. She is also hoping to take out a silver Logie for best lead actress in a drama. It was the end of an era for the Home and Away favourite, who left the show in March after playing her beloved character Irene Roberts for nearly 33 years. 'Look, if I'd have known this was going to happen, I would have left this show years ago,' she said. 'I already feel like I've gone out on a career high, truly, just because my departure from the bay is one of my proudest achievements. 'And just being nominated for silver and gold is extraordinary, I couldn't have dreamt of anything better. 'And oh gosh, if I win, I'll be speechless. No, who am I kidding? I'm never speechless.' Lynne McGranger. Credit: Unknown / Supplied McGranger said if she is awarded the golden trophy, she won't be able to top Larry Emdur's pledge of getting a tattoo on his bum, but has made a promise of her own. 'I promised Larry this morning on The Morning Show that I will carry it with me everywhere for a year,' she said. 'I will show people I don't know on the street. I will say, got a little something to show you, and walk up to complete strangers and drive people mad with it.' Named among a group of nominees consisting of all women, except for Lego Masters Australia's Blake, McGranger said she was honoured to be amongst such 'feminine royalty'. She said it was a testament to the fact that women beyond a certain age were no longer 'invisible'. 'I can imagine what people in Albo's government must have felt like when something's just all full of women and one token man,' she said. 'It really says a lot about women in our society, and women on TV, and all the different roles that we play. And I don't mean that in an acting sense. It's just great that women have been acknowledged, and are being acknowledged. It's truly wonderful.' When the 65th TV Week Logies take place at The Star in Sydney on August 3, it certainly won't be McGranger's first rodeo as she has been attending since her first Logies in 1994 and has probably only missed two or three over the decades. Aside from McGranger getting started on her outfit planning, she is also getting stuck into rehearsals for a play Grandparents Club. It's quite a busy schedule, but one would think the longest-serving female cast member of a TV soap opera in Australia could cope, no worries at all. But really, McGranger said she has been busier since she stopped filming. 'I think when you're just doing one thing and focusing on one thing, you let other things go by the wayside and figure they're not that important and they'll get done,' she said. 'But now, of course, I've just been overwhelmed with everything. 'But you know what, I'm having a good time. I think while you're still above ground, you've got to really just embrace what's going on in your life.' McGranger is back with The Grandparents Club for a second year and said it felt like her acting career had come full circle. 'I started out in community theatre and I just love that life,' she said. 'Honestly, I think I should have been a rock star on the road, because I love touring, and I love all the 'franticness' that goes with that, it's helping to keep me feeling young at heart.' While the play isn't coming to WA at this stage, McGranger said she was disappointed she won't make it over to Perth for Telethon but hoped to make a visit before the year's out. 'I have a feeling, our last show is the night of Telethon. And I said to Jason, my publicist, 'Can't they push Telethon back a week? Because I could come then'. And then he's very kindly said, 'It's not all about you',' she said. 'But you know, that's what happens when you're not on Home and Away anymore.' Lynne McGranger is a nominee for both the Gold and Silver Logies at the 65th TV WEEK Logie Awards, airing exclusively on Seven and 7plus Sunday, 3 August. Click here to vote.
The Age
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Bicycles, ice baths and 4 million bricks: Behind the scenes of Lego Masters
Every day while filming Lego Masters, Hamish Blake and Ryan 'Brickman' McNaught, host and judge of the Logie-award-wining show, ride bicycles together to get to work. 'Yeah, probably don't tell production that I ride my bike because I'm a 50/50 chance of not making it,' Blake says, laughing. 'City drivers don't love seeing a cyclist. I mean, the anger is palpable.' McNaught grimaces with a smile. 'Dicing with death daily,' he says. 'Lucky we're not angry on this show.' Indeed, Lego Masters Australia, returning for its seventh season with Grandmasters of the Galaxy, a global battle of 10 teams from Australia and overseas, is a bastion of family-friendly encouragement and kinship. 'We're definitely the light side,' Blake says, laughing. 'We're Jedis, always trying to really harness that Jedi feeling.' This season, 20 players from seven countries – a mix of homegrown and international winners and finalists from Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Sweden, the US and New Zealand – will tackle extraordinary challenges. This includes seeing if Lego can fly, building a car with a dash of 'movie magic', creating lifelike objects for a Chinese restaurant, and creating a monster from ancient civilisations. There's also the introduction of the 'magic brick' – a coveted large, glowing block that teams battle for to gain immunity from elimination in the next challenge. And TV personality Sophie Monk will return as special guest in four episodes. Returning Australian builders include fan favourite and season-five winner Owen, teamed up with Gabby, who came fourth in season three; season-one runners-up David and Gerhard (known as 'G'); Henry and Cade, champions of season one; and Trent and Alex, who have come close to victory more than once. Loading The overseas teams include Dai and Jiayuan, from Lego Masters China; Oskari and Aura from Finland; New Zealand runners-up Emily and Sarah; and sibling duo Paul and Nealita from the US. There are also best friends and Lego Masters Sweden alumni Vidar and Albin; and Nick and Stacey, the first Canadians to win Lego Masters USA, who did so in their Lego bow-tie and hair bow respectively. 'These are all the best of the best,' says Blake, who won the 2022 Gold Logie for most popular personality on television. 'Not only has everyone built on the show before, the only people that haven't won are people that are back here because they just missed out. They're the elite.' On the day I visit the studio, which is housed in a hangar-style building at Disney Studios in Sydney's Moore Park, teams of production staff are sorting used bricks on an upper level while, below, a large bank of multiple screens shows 25 camera angles of the contestants, all metres away, constructing against the clock at their workbenches. The set, a red and gold Chinese restaurant, complete with tables and chairs, fills the end of the room. The teams are hunched over, building intently, and the sound of murmuring and clicking bricks fills the air. Every so often, someone will sprint to choose from 4 million bricks in the Brick Pit. Blake and McNaught hover between the tables, quietly observing between chats, jokes and advice with teams off- and on-camera. For all the fun of Lego Masters, the pair know how their presence can affect contestants. 'You have to be cognisant of how much pressure they're always under,' Blake says. 'They want to put their best foot forward, the clock is always ticking and there's a real skill to what everyone's doing on the show, I never want to be flippant about that. 'But I still believe it helps people be at their best if you can keep a slight amount of cheerfulness in adversity. It keeps a pep in their step.' As one of the world's leading Lego brick artists, and the only Lego certified professional in the southern hemisphere, McNaught understands his influence. Loading 'My job, obviously, is to be a judge, but also I want them to be the best possible Lego builders they can be,' he says. 'In some instances there's still 90 minutes on the clock, they've done 95 per cent, they've got capacity to finesse, make it that little bit better. 'In other instances, it's 'hang on a minute, we've just gotta get you over the line'. So you have to juggle both of these.' After seven seasons, Blake says one of the challenges of Lego Masters is coming up with new build quests. 'I think we will have done close to 100 challenges by now,' he says. 'Everything's new. You have to keep getting more and more creative to keep it novel, and that becomes the challenge. But that's all right. That's what happens with any creative process that's seven years in.' In the past week, McNaught has already banked four ideas for future seasons. 'Once you've got your Lego brain on, it's all, 'What about this wild thing?'' he says. There's no doubt McNaught has a Lego brain. But what about Lego fingers? Does building trigger injuries? 'Absolutely yes,' he says. '[Just] working with your fingers for eight hours here is really hard. For instance, Gabby isn't used to operating with the big bricks she's using today, so her hands are throbbing. But it doesn't take long to get match-fit.' McNaught himself has some 'pretty gnarly arthritis' in his hands after manoeuvring Lego for years. 'At the end of a long day my knuckles swell,' he says. 'No different to a bricklayer or a chippy.' Brickman's tips for Lego enthusiasts with aching digits? Learn to use both hands, rest them alternately and have a long break afterwards. What about mini ice baths? 'That's what I do,' McNaught says. Blake is excited. 'Yeah – 'Bricks down, guys!'' he says, jokingly. ''Come to the centre now. I want your hands in the ice baths!''
Sydney Morning Herald
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Bicycles, ice baths and 4 million bricks: Behind the scenes of Lego Masters
Every day while filming Lego Masters, Hamish Blake and Ryan 'Brickman' McNaught, host and judge of the Logie-award-wining show, ride bicycles together to get to work. 'Yeah, probably don't tell production that I ride my bike because I'm a 50/50 chance of not making it,' Blake says, laughing. 'City drivers don't love seeing a cyclist. I mean, the anger is palpable.' McNaught grimaces with a smile. 'Dicing with death daily,' he says. 'Lucky we're not angry on this show.' Indeed, Lego Masters Australia, returning for its seventh season with Grandmasters of the Galaxy, a global battle of 10 teams from Australia and overseas, is a bastion of family-friendly encouragement and kinship. 'We're definitely the light side,' Blake says, laughing. 'We're Jedis, always trying to really harness that Jedi feeling.' This season, 20 players from seven countries – a mix of homegrown and international winners and finalists from Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Sweden, the US and New Zealand – will tackle extraordinary challenges. This includes seeing if Lego can fly, building a car with a dash of 'movie magic', creating lifelike objects for a Chinese restaurant, and creating a monster from ancient civilisations. There's also the introduction of the 'magic brick' – a coveted large, glowing block that teams battle for to gain immunity from elimination in the next challenge. And TV personality Sophie Monk will return as special guest in four episodes. Returning Australian builders include fan favourite and season-five winner Owen, teamed up with Gabby, who came fourth in season three; season-one runners-up David and Gerhard (known as 'G'); Henry and Cade, champions of season one; and Trent and Alex, who have come close to victory more than once. Loading The overseas teams include Dai and Jiayuan, from Lego Masters China; Oskari and Aura from Finland; New Zealand runners-up Emily and Sarah; and sibling duo Paul and Nealita from the US. There are also best friends and Lego Masters Sweden alumni Vidar and Albin; and Nick and Stacey, the first Canadians to win Lego Masters USA, who did so in their Lego bow-tie and hair bow respectively. 'These are all the best of the best,' says Blake, who won the 2022 Gold Logie for most popular personality on television. 'Not only has everyone built on the show before, the only people that haven't won are people that are back here because they just missed out. They're the elite.' On the day I visit the studio, which is housed in a hangar-style building at Disney Studios in Sydney's Moore Park, teams of production staff are sorting used bricks on an upper level while, below, a large bank of multiple screens shows 25 camera angles of the contestants, all metres away, constructing against the clock at their workbenches. The set, a red and gold Chinese restaurant, complete with tables and chairs, fills the end of the room. The teams are hunched over, building intently, and the sound of murmuring and clicking bricks fills the air. Every so often, someone will sprint to choose from 4 million bricks in the Brick Pit. Blake and McNaught hover between the tables, quietly observing between chats, jokes and advice with teams off- and on-camera. For all the fun of Lego Masters, the pair know how their presence can affect contestants. 'You have to be cognisant of how much pressure they're always under,' Blake says. 'They want to put their best foot forward, the clock is always ticking and there's a real skill to what everyone's doing on the show, I never want to be flippant about that. 'But I still believe it helps people be at their best if you can keep a slight amount of cheerfulness in adversity. It keeps a pep in their step.' As one of the world's leading Lego brick artists, and the only Lego certified professional in the southern hemisphere, McNaught understands his influence. Loading 'My job, obviously, is to be a judge, but also I want them to be the best possible Lego builders they can be,' he says. 'In some instances there's still 90 minutes on the clock, they've done 95 per cent, they've got capacity to finesse, make it that little bit better. 'In other instances, it's 'hang on a minute, we've just gotta get you over the line'. So you have to juggle both of these.' After seven seasons, Blake says one of the challenges of Lego Masters is coming up with new build quests. 'I think we will have done close to 100 challenges by now,' he says. 'Everything's new. You have to keep getting more and more creative to keep it novel, and that becomes the challenge. But that's all right. That's what happens with any creative process that's seven years in.' In the past week, McNaught has already banked four ideas for future seasons. 'Once you've got your Lego brain on, it's all, 'What about this wild thing?'' he says. There's no doubt McNaught has a Lego brain. But what about Lego fingers? Does building trigger injuries? 'Absolutely yes,' he says. '[Just] working with your fingers for eight hours here is really hard. For instance, Gabby isn't used to operating with the big bricks she's using today, so her hands are throbbing. But it doesn't take long to get match-fit.' McNaught himself has some 'pretty gnarly arthritis' in his hands after manoeuvring Lego for years. 'At the end of a long day my knuckles swell,' he says. 'No different to a bricklayer or a chippy.' Brickman's tips for Lego enthusiasts with aching digits? Learn to use both hands, rest them alternately and have a long break afterwards. What about mini ice baths? 'That's what I do,' McNaught says. Blake is excited. 'Yeah – 'Bricks down, guys!'' he says, jokingly. ''Come to the centre now. I want your hands in the ice baths!''
