The Adrian Portelli and Scott Cam 'feud' we didn't see on The Block.

Well, folks, it's about that time: The Block is upon us for another whirlwind season.

I know, I can hardly believe we're back here either. Just when you've gotten over the many scandals, trials, tribulations and gossip from the last season, Scotty Cam is back to deliver 12 weeks of divine reality TV.

Scotty will be joined in hosting duties by his best friend forever, Shelley Craft, alongside judges Shaynna Blaz, Marty Fox and Darren Palmer. Foreman Dan Reilly will also be on set, with Foreman Keith seemingly not returning in 2025, after taking a break in 2024.

Watch the trailer for The Block 2025. Article continues below.

Last season saw a series of record-breaking sales thanks to billionaire bidder Adrian Portelli, who dropped $15.03 million to purchase all five homes up for auction. But this year, he's vowed not to return.

Couple that with a somewhat controversial new location, and the 2025 season could be shaping up to be piping hot — just as viewers have come to expect from the show, which gets more and more scandalous with each passing season.

As we prepare for another round of The Block, we're keeping tabs on all the latest news.

All The Block 2025 gossip you need to know.

Adrian Portelli vs Scott Cam.

In a new twist, a source 'close to production' has claimed that tensions were 'brewing behind the scenes' of The Block in 2024.

According to the source, billionaire bidder Adrian Portelli and host Scott Cam did not seem particularly chummy once the cameras stopped rolling.

"He gave them the biggest TV moment of the season and barely got a thank you," the source told The Daily Mail.

It seems the relationship hasn't improved on Adrian's side since then, either, as he recently called Scotty a "clown" and announced he was moving over to Channel Seven's reality series, My Reno Rules.

"Scott genuinely thought they were on good terms," a source told The Daily Mail. "Scotty Cam is renowned for being friendly on camera but keeps to himself off-set. It's rubbed some people the wrong way over the years."

For what it's worth, Scott has not commented on the rumours.

What happens to The Block after Adrian Portelli?

In a move that will likely have the new Blockheads on edge, Adrian Portelli has officially confirmed he won't be returning to The Block to purchase any homes this season.

Adrian is one of the most well-known buyers on the show — having dropped $31.68 million over the years on different properties. But it was last season on Phillip Island where he really made a mark: he spent $15.03 million to buy all five houses.

It was argued that Adrian had 'rigged' the auction by simply spending the most on his favourite team's home… perhaps! But it also meant every single contestant walked away with a whole pile of money; more than most Block teams in the history of the show.

Now, he's stepping away.

The entrepreneur said he didn't want to "overstay his welcome" and chose to "go out with a bang" in 2024.

Does this mean the contestants are in for a rude shock come auction day, when they have to sell to "everyday people" over billionaires? Hosts Shelley Craft and Scott Cam aren't too worried.

"I'm sure our contestants would love him to be there [this year]. He has quite a remarkable habit of bidding well over reserve, and of course, some of our contestants have had life-changing experiences, because Adrian was there on auction day," Shelley Craft told Mamamia ahead of the premiere.

"I think for production, we're thrilled that there will be some new bidders there. We're excited that there might be some other people who didn't stand a chance to bid against a billionaire, to actually get a hold of one of these beautiful homes," she continued.

Last year's winners were 'hand selected' by Portelli. Image: Nine.

It's important to remember that selling 'above reserve' and walking away with riches is not a promised thing to all teams on this show. The only certainty is that the team who 'wins' will take home $100,000 in prize money.

As for the contestants being nervous about walking away with nothing — financially — Shelley says the new Blockheads will walk away with valuable life experiences. Even if they come up empty-handed in the auction.

"I tell [the contestants] until I'm blue in the face, and Scotty does too, we remind them throughout the series, that if you're open to opportunities, and if you're open to the experience with a broad mind, a lot comes post-The Block — besides the money. There are life experiences here that will define who you are moving forward. And to me, that's worth all the money in the world anyway. But it's very hard when you think you're gonna get a million bucks on the day."

Scotty also told Real Estate he "won't be nervous at all" come auction-day because he thinks these properties are worth every penny.

"They're great investments," Shelley told Mamamia.

"If you were a property investor and you weren't looking at a Block house, I'd be wondering what on earth you know about the industry... they're great investments, and we've seen that through the resale of the [houses] over the years."

Shortly after our chat with Shelley, it was announced Adrian had signed a deal with Channel 7 to join their new series, My Reno Rules. But for now, all eyes are on The Block and the upcoming season set in Daylesford.

Will the new homes sell? Probably! But I'm sure the contestants will be a little bit nervous — more than any team last season — come auction day.

This season will bring the 'biggest scandal we've ever seen.'

The Block is promising its most explosive season yet — they promise this every year. But in 2025, two hairdressers from Queensland might just be the ones to deliver it. Season 21 is about to give us what producers are calling "the biggest scandal the show has ever seen", and all eyes are on best mates Robby and Mat — two self-proclaimed "reno rookies" who are about to shake things up in Daylesford.

Both Robby and Mat are professional athletes — one with a football background, the other a figure skater — which means they know exactly what it takes to win under pressure.

"We obviously have a very big secret," Robby teased the cameras.

What's the secret? We don't know, at this point, but if their confident smirks and competitive backgrounds are anything to go by, it's clearly something that could turn the entire competition on its head.

"We're about to take over The Block," the duo said. "Game on moles."

A new twist for The Blockheads.

Scotty has confirmed the 2025 season will see all contestants building their homes from scratch for the first time ever.

In some seasons past, the purchased homes have been so dilapidated that the cast may as well have been building from the ground up — but they still had bones to work with. Now, we're building all the way!

This will clearly add an extra layer of stress to the build, as these regular people attempt to pull off the impossible: complete a new build in a designated timeframe, in a small town. Which brings us to the location.

The Block 2025 filming location.

The new season was filmed in the Victorian country town of Daylesford, a 90-minute drive from the Melbourne CBD. Nine purchased an allotment not too far from the town's centre.

Daylesford is a picturesque (and very popular) region thanks to its stunning natural beauty and charming town centre. And if you're thinking it sounds familiar, you're right!

The Block was slated to film in Daylesford in 2024, but pulled out of the region due to local community backlash. After a dispute involving the state planning minister and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Nine moved the 20th season to Phillip Island.

Now, they've ironed out the details and filmed the new season earlier this year.

Daylesford is a picturesque country town in Victoria. Image: Getty.

"So after a lot of wrangling back and forth, the plans that we submitted to the council in Daylesford were finally approved a couple of months ago, so we've decided we're going to go there," executive producer Julian Cress told TV Tonight of the decision to return to the country.

"We're going to do the show that we wanted to do [last] year and we're really excited about [it] because we think off the back of this kind of 'seachange' series that we're doing in Phillip Island, Daylesford is just a beautiful country town. It's the number one weekend destination in Australia. So again, I think it's a town that will resonate with a lot of viewers and as a backdrop for The Block, it's absolutely stunning and the community there is wonderful."

Cress told TV Tonight there was "one person" in a town of 10,000 residents who opposed the first attempt at filming, but claimed all was well when the cast and crew rolled into town to film the 2025 season.

The Block 2025 designs are giving fans déjà vu.

It's not the first time The Block has taken its drama to the countryside, with contestants renovating farmsteads in the 2022 season filmed in the Macedon Ranges.

An insider has told The Daily Mail that the new homes created this year are a little bit too similar to those built in the 'Tree Change' season.

"Honestly, the style and finish of the homes are nearly identical to what we saw in [the 2022 season]," they told the publication. "Same vibe, same tones, same country-chic energy."

But honestly? The same could be said for about 80 per cent of the rooms delivered each week on The Block, where the contestants all share similar visions in the hopes of enticing the right kinds of buyers.

Either way, it's always a fun watch to see the teams bringing their plans to life.

The Block airs Monday to Wednesday, 7:30pm and Sunday, 7pm, on Channel Nine and 9Now.