This year The Block adds a third member to its judging panel. Making her debut is Shaynna Blaze from Selling Houses Australia on The LifeStyle Channel.

A veteran of five series of Selling Houses Australia, she is best known for bringing her considerable experience to hapless homeowners dressing their places up for sale. She has perfect credentials for judging contestants on The Block and she brings a tough-love message for them.

“You can’t be too emotional. Just because you like it doesn’t mean everybody else will. It’s not your home anyway – it’s a house for sale. Toughen up, buttercup.”

Blaze is a respected and sought after interior designer with a range of clients with private homes and commercial and retail spaces around Australia and overseas. She juggles it all as a mother, teacher, blogger, and successful jazz singer.

She is in constant demand as a designer through her Melbourne business, Blank Canvas Interiors.

“People’s thirst for knowledge about how they can have their dream house is never-ending and I love working with people to help them realise their dreams.”

In The Block 2012, she will take on one of the toughest roles of her career when she joins Neale Whitaker and John McGrath for the weekly challenge of deciding which team is the worthy winner.