Originally posted on news.com.au
A CONTESTANT in The Block who once helped set up an illegal drug manufacturing plant has quit the TV series together with his wife.
In a tearful interview, Dani and Monique Bacha said they were leaving to save their families further embarrassment.
The announcement came after the revelation that Mr Bacha spent six months in custody accused of manufacturing illegal drugs.
The couple said they deeply regretted having to leave the apartment at Manly in Sydney they had been renovating for the past two weeks as part of Channel 9's reality TV series.
"It's difficult, because we don't want to leave, but our families come first," Mrs Bacha, 26, said.
Mr Bacha was cleared of manufacturing amphetamines in 2002 but was found guilty of being an accessory.
"We've been labelled as drug manufacturers and we are supposed to be on The Block, renovating," Mr Bacha said.
Channel 9 yesterday declined to comment on the couple's abrupt departure, but said it was aware of the conviction.
The Bachas described last week as the worst of their lives. After attending a funeral for Monique's grandfather on Thursday, the couple decided the controversy would only worsen if they remained in the public spotlight.
"It's not fair on all the other couples in The Block. It's not fair on our families," Mr Bacha said.
The Bachas said the publicity they had received in the past seven days was far worse than the experience of 14 months ago, when Mr Bacha stood before a judge at Parramatta District Court and was convicted of being an accessory.
Mr Bacha, who turned 30 yesterday, was arrested after police raided a Grey-stanes home and found a tablet machine, 208g of tablets in an ice cream container and a further 768g of tablets in a resealable bag.
According to the police charge sheet, the tablets contained about 4 per cent of methamphetamine, also known as speed.
Mrs Bacha has been in tears for much of the past week, since first newspaper reports of her husband's past. It was the first many members of their family and social circle had heard of Mr Bacha's jail time.
"For the first four months, I was living on my own and I kept it from my family. I told them he was away for six months," she said.
"I was embarrassed."
Mrs Bacha, a Star City Casino VIP co-ordinator, said she felt her world had caved in when they saw the headlines. "It was like someone had just punched me in the guts," she said.
Knowing the show was likely to catapult them into the spotlight, the couple said they now regret not speaking out sooner.
"We didn't know what was the best course of action. Should we let it go and let it blow over?" Mrs Bacha said.
Winning a place on the TV show had seemed like a new beginning for the newlyweds.
The couple was comforted by crew members when news of the departure was revealed. One hugged Mrs Bacha, saying "everything will be all right".
"They're our favourite couple," another member of the crew said.
Taken from HERE.
Speed bombs eh? Such a shame...
Maybe Channel 9 should rename it "The Lab"...
Kid_Cisco.