The Block‘s 20th season at Phillip Island kicks off on Nine with Scott Cam and Shelley Craft returning as hosts.
Judges are real estate director Marty Fox joined by Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer. Dan Reilly takes on the role as sole Foreman.
Returning Allstar Blockheads include Steph and Gian (2023), Eliza and Liberty (2023), Jimmy and Tam (2020), Alisa and Lysandra (2013, 2014), Ronnie and Georgia (2020, 2021), Michael and Carlene (2014), Kyal and Kara (2014), Tom and Sarah-Jane (2022), Omar and Oz (2022), Dale and Sophie (2012), and Andy and Deb (2019).
Kylie & Brad
Parents from Cairns, QLD
Kylie and Brad are parents of four from Far North Queensland: Parker, 9, Bentleigh, 6, Steele, 4, and Slade, one. They complement each other well: Kylie is strong-willed and determined, Brad is a hard worker. It makes them a formidable team on The Block. “I don’t think Kylie has had more than three days off from the kids,” Brad said. “I used to just take them to work,” Kylie added. “It’s hard to juggle, but it’s possible.”
Experience
They haven’t had much experience in the renovation game, only building the home in Cairns they live in now, but that won’t hinder them on The Block. “I will have a go at everything. I can handle a hammer and a drill and I’m not afraid to use it,” Kylie said.
Kylie, 37, hairdresser and wholesale and supply business owner
With her signature green hair, Kylie was a favourite with the locals while filming The Block on Phillip Island. In Cairns, Kylie works as a hairdresser as well as running a wholesale business selling hair products with her mother. “I’ve been a hairdresser for 20 years, but I want to step back and focus more on the wholesale business in the future,” she said. She is strong and feisty, sticks to her guns, and will have no problem saying what she thinks.
Brad, 32, electrician and plumber
Brad is no stranger to hard work, running his own successful business in Cairns as a double trade, electrician and plumber. He has an interest in the technical side of lighting and hopes this will be an advantage on The Block. “Lighting to me is like architecture. That was a real strength for Steph and Gian last year and I hope it will be my strength this year,” he said. He will be primarily based onsite, managing the trades and working hard himself. Brad plans to use the fact he is an electrician and a plumber to his advantage on The Block, to save money and get the job done quicker.
Together
Kylie and Brad have been married for seven years and met two years before that. They lived across the street from each other when they met, and Brad visited Kylie while she was breeding German shepherds. Life is busy for them; it’s all about work and the kids, with little spare time. They have been fans of The Block for years. “I guess it’s something we have always watched, and thought we could do it, so why not give it a crack?” Brad said.
Kristian & Mimi
Newlyweds from Adelaide, SA
Kristian and Mimi met officially at their group fitness Christmas party in 2020, after previously training together in the same gym classes. They married in a spectacular wedding ceremony in Adelaide last November that went viral on Tik Tok. They are polar opposites, with Mimi a perfectionist and Kristian more laidback. The Block is going to be an adventure out of their comfort zone, but they are ready for it.
“I think the reason we applied is because we love to challenge ourselves,” Mimi said. “We are so competitive and The Block is a great platform to show that.”
Experience
The couple have renovated the Adelaide house they are currently living in, but they still call themselves new renovators with a very distinct style. “With our house I would call the style modern contemporary, which we want to continue on The Block,” Kristian said. “We like lots of different textures, different textured ceilings. I think we will surprise everyone.”
Kristian, 31, electrician
Loyalty comes naturally to Kristian, who has worked for the same boss for the past 14 years. “My boss is an absolute champion,” he said. “But one day I do want to start my own business, and I think this could be a stepping stone in doing that, just to gain the confidence to start my own thing.” Kristian always has a smile on his face, even during the tough times, and that positive nature will be needed on every step of his journey on The Block.
Mimi, 28, restaurant manager
Mimi has dreamed of being in front of the camera as she loves to act. The Block is her chance to shine and start living that dream. She manages her family’s Vietnamese restaurant, Ba Khan, in Adelaide, and she is proud to work for her family in what is a very successful business. “My parents have built this empire and I’m so proud of them. It’s great to be working with them. I’m helping them for now and then will see where life takes me,” Mimi says.
Together
Krsitian and Mimi hope to work well together when it comes to renovating. “In life we are completely different people,” Mimi said. “We have disagreements, but when we came to renovating our home we agreed on everything, which is a surprise. Hopefully, with all the elements on The Block we will be able to work as a team and do well.”
Rickt & Haydn
Best mates from Melbourne, VIC
These loveable larrikins from Victoria have been best mates for 20 years. They spend so much time together they are more like brothers. They became really close in 2009 after Haydn’s father passed away and Ricky lost one of his best mates. Haydn’s wife Chelsea will be eight and half months pregnant when the boys start on The Block, so a Block baby is guaranteed. As well as working hard, they are looking forward to making friends on The Block. “We bring out the best in people,” Ricky said. “We are all about making sure people enjoy their time and moments, because that is what life is about.”
Experience
Ricky renovated his apartment in the Melbourne suburb of Seaford, and admits he blew the budget by $70,000.
Other than that, not much renovation experience between them. They know they might struggle with the all-important styling part of their rooms. “That is where we might clash,” Ricky joked. “We will take each battle as they come.”
Ricky, 34, plumber
Ricky is extremely hard-working and isn’t afraid to get on the tools to get the job done. He owns his own electrician company and is used to working and managing a team. It’s always been a dream of his to be on The Block and he’s got the skills to do well. Outside of work, Ricky goes to the gym most days and is up by 4am every morning, often to go stand-up paddle boarding in Melbourne’s Port Melbourne Bay. “The Block is a big deal, and a bigger deal being the 20th season,” he said. “To be part of that is amazing and humbling. I plan to enjoy every minute of it.”
Haydn, 37, IT Manager
Hard-working Haydn and Chelsea have been trying for nearly a decade to have a baby and tried IVF for years without success. Last year they conceived naturally, which was a beautiful surprise. Then Haydn found out he and his best mate Ricky were on The Block, and he had a big decision to make. Ultimately, the pros of doing The Block and potentially setting up his young family was enough for him and Chelsea to come to the decision that this is an opportunity too good to miss. “It was touch and go as I will be missing out on those crucial moments,” he said. “But the decision has been made and my lovely wife Chelsea has supported me through it.”
Together
Ricky and Haydn know each other incredibly well, which will be a huge asset on The Block. They plan to bring their unique fashion style to the build, which can be described as fluro and “something out of the 1990s”. “We know how to help each other through thick and thin, the good times and the bad,” Haydn said.
Courtney & Grant
Married from Sydney, NSW
Courtney and Grant have been married for three years, and the opportunity to go on The Block has come at a perfect time. “We don’t have kids, so I feel like this is a really good time. We want to go into it with a positive attitude and have fun,” Courtney said. They met in Sydney nine years ago when Grant was a bartender, before Courtney moved to Brisbane and Grant to London. They never lost touch and married three years ago. “We originally planned to have a huge wedding in Malta and then COVID hit and that got scrapped,” Grant said. “We ended up getting married on the South Coast of NSW in Milton, in a small wedding.”
Experience
Their pride and joy is their home in the western Sydney suburb of Denham Court, which they built and styled. Although not having a lot of renovating experience, they are not complete beginners. They think their work lives, which include design and landscaping backgrounds, will really help them on The Block when it comes to experience. Courtney, 32, event account manager and furniture designer In her day job Courtney works as an event account manager at a major events hire company. She also has a growing online furniture business called The Lazy Stylist. Boasting 57,000 followers on Instagram, the business is her passion. She hopes to expand her business after going on The Block. “Everything feels like a dream at the moment,” Courtney said of her situation, her business, and being a Blockhead.
Grant, 30, landscape business development manager
Grant is very strong in his opinions. He doesn’t hold back and will say what he thinks. He is also proud of his Maltese heritage, often going back to Malta where he has lots of family. Work-wise, Grant is in the landscaping world, which he hopes will give him a boost on The Block come the latter stages of the competition. “I make sure my work is planned down to a tee, but that sometimes leaves me no time for my personal life,” he said.
Together
At times they might fight like cats and dogs, but overall they work very well together. “I think we will get on each other’s nerves a bit as we will be working long hours,” Grant said. “But every time we argue it doesn’t come from a bad place and we always have a joke afterwards.” They are set to bring a style the judges have dubbed “Moditerranean” to The Block, which is a modern take on the traditional Mediterranean style that has been prominent in Australia for decades with our millions of European migrants. Courtney believes The Block is going to be a positive experience and their destiny. “I know itsounds like a cliche, but I always felt there was a bit more for us,” she said.
Jesse & Paige
Engaged from Perth, WA
The youngest couple on The Block this year, Jesse and Paige are getting married at the end of this year and always stick together through thick and thin. They have been together for seven years and are taking skills from planning their wedding together to building a home on The Block.
Experience
When it comes to renovating experience, Jesse and Paige are novices. But they will be full of determination going into The Block. They have a style in mind, but will be open-minded and ready to learn on the job. “In terms of design, we don’t want to get too stuck in a box just yet,” Paige said. “We want to see the place and get a vibe for the Island and go from there.”
Jesse, 29, carpenter
At all times Jesse leaves his heart on his sleeve and he will definitely show emotion on The Block. He is a meticulous carpenter and has worked on many big projects which means he knows exactly what it takes to build a luxury home. But he’s looking forward to more than just the build on The Block. “I’m definitely keen to meet everyone and make really good friends on The Block,” he said. He loves sport, including rugby, and it was after his rugby grand final where he met Paige.
Paige, 27, claims specialist
Strong, witty, and not afraid to speak her mind: that’s Paige. She is theatrical and had a love of drama and the stage in the past. She is also direct and not afraid to express her opinions. “I feel like sometimes people think I could be mean or rude, but I’m never those things,” she said. “I’m just a direct person and I don’t beat around the bush.”
Together
This couple are very close and have very complimentary things to say about each other. “Paige is the most hard-working and motivating person I know,” Jesse said. “She pushes me to be a better person.” Paige returned the compliment. “Jesse has so many beautiful strengths,” she said. “He is so gentle and loving and kind.”
Sunday – Wednesday on Nine.
links to content on ABC
TV Tonight
