The new season is set to premiere later this month.

The Block's Shelley Craft and Scott Cam / Mat.

The Block 2025 contestants have various levels of renovation experience. Photos: Channel 9

From an outsider’s perspective, The Block appears to be one of the most challenging reality shows a person could sign up for. Contestants are given 12 weeks to renovate and style a property to sell at auction, and for the first time ever this season, they will be building the houses from scratch.

While you might assume that participants are required to have previous renovation experience or skills in a trade to take part in the competition, one of this year’s teams has proven otherwise. Not only do best mates Robby and Mat have zero experience in the field, but Mat has never even watched an episode of The Block.

In fact, a recent trailer shows the 41-year-old hairdresser telling host Scott Cam that he thought Scott and Cam were “two different people”, much to his amusement.

Robby and Mat certainly aren’t the first team to take on The Block as renovation newbies, with sisters Eliza and Liberty competing in 2023 and walking away with a whopping $1.05 million profit.

The fan favourites tell Yahoo Lifestyle that although it’s “definitely beneficial” to have renovation skills, The Block is “a totally different building ball game”.

“Trades often find themselves just as overwhelmed as rookies do, with crazy and unusual working environments, timelines and pressures,” Eliza says. “Never giving up is by far the most valuable tool (pardon the pun) in our opinion.”

The Block’s Eliza and Liberty Paschke.

The Block’s Eliza and Liberty Paschke reveal whether they would ever return to the reality show. Photo: Channel Nine

Eliza reveals she’s already met this year’s cast, who she describes as “great people”, and says she and Liberty are really looking forward to watching them compete on the new season.

“The Block is so much harder than it looks (we were very naive), so being grateful and having fun was the key to our amazing experience,” she remarked. “If you don’t laugh, you’ll probably cry!”

In addition to Team Green’s Robby and Mat from South Australia, the season 21 cast includes Team Orange’s Han and Can from Western Australia, Team Blue’s Em and Ben from Victoria, Team Red’s Britt and Taz from Western Australia, and Team Yellow’s Sonny and Alicia from Queensland.

This year marks the first time The Block won’t feature any contestants from New South Wales, which is particularly interesting as a Sydney-based team has won the last four seasons.

The Block 2025 cast.

For the first time in the show’s history, there are no contestants from NSW. Photo: Channel 9

Robby and Mat have the least renovation experience amongst the five couples on The Block 2025, although they know how to be project managers after building successful businesses, including hairdressing salons. Han and Can have both been exposed to construction and real estate through their families, and are currently renovating their own home, a Californian bungalow, in Perth.

Britt and Taz describe themselves as “amateur renovators” because they haven’t fully renovated a house before, but have completed smaller-scale projects themselves, such as window bench seats, paving, and landscaping. Sonny and Alicia sit in the middle when it comes to renovating experience, as they built their current family home and previously renovated a granny flat.

Meanwhile, Emma and Ben have the most renovation experience among all the contestants, having completed two houses, as well as another new build. They bought their first house when they were 24 and have been flipping houses and documenting it on their socials ever since.

The Block 2025 is set to premiere Sunday, July 27, at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. This marks the first time in eight years that the reality show won’t premiere in August, meaning that the auctions will likely take place at the end of October rather than the beginning of November.