Spy: Jason Bonham tipped to be new judge on The Block

Jason Bonham is tipped to be the new judge on The Block 2015. Photo / Babiche Martens.

Last Friday saw a shake up for the new season of The Block as magazine editor and last season's judge Shelley Ferguson was announced as the new host to replace Shannon Ryan.

Ferguson, 35, will join existing host 44-year-old Mark Richardson on the upcoming fourth season of the TV3 series. Ferguson is a perfect replacement, she has style and a waspish love of everything interiors. She is often seen on the social scene with husband Steve, son of four-time Olympic gold medalist Ian Ferguson.

But who will judge this year's room reveals and award that all important prize money?

The show's judging panel has changed annually. Season one was judged by Victoria Bidwell and Stewart Harris, season two by Jeremy Hansen and Janice Kumar-Ward and season three by architect Mark Gascoigne and Ferguson.

Shelley Ferguson and her husband Steve. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Spy understands Gascoigne has been replaced by interior design extraordinaire Jason Bonham of Bonham Interiors.

Bonham is well known amongst the corps d'elite of Auckland moneyed folk who have an eye for design. Before he returned home to Auckland, Bonham worked with big names in New York, San Francisco and London. He is a regular about the Auckland social scene.

Bonham played coy when asked of his new role on The Block telling Spy: "As soon as I know - I will let you know."

TV3 told Spy they were not ready to announce the judges for the new season.

The Block host Mark Richardson and Julie Christie

Spy knows Bonham will be one tough judge to impress. It is not the first time he has made it onto our screens on a reality show. Bonham was on the 2009 series,

Trading Houses

, which screened on TV One.

The show was produced by reality queen Julie Christie's company Eyeworks and was compared to a watered-down and lumpy Changing Rooms-meets-Wife Swap.

As for who will replace the judging spot left by Ferguson, Spy understands it is a female we have seen on the show in past seasons.

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- nzherald.co.nz