Adrian Portelli’s dramatic exit from The Block has left a billion-dollar-sized hole in the front row of the auction room.

But this year’s teams say they’re not banking on a white knight to ride in and scoop up their homes.

Portelli, the LMCT+ promotions king dubbed ‘Lambo Guy’, made TV history in 2024 when he purchased all five Phillip Island properties for more than $15 million – then announced he wouldn’t be back in 2025.

Nine and host Scott Cam have publicly argued that his absence will make auctions more accessible to families.

Speaking to Daily Mail, each of this year’s couples have revealed how they’re really feeling about Portelli stepping away – and whether they’re worried about selling without him there to snap up their property.

Britt and Taz, the Victorian police officers who swapped night shifts for nail guns, say they have zero interest in fairy tales and every intention of doing the hard yards.

Adrian Portelli’s dramatic exit from The Block has left a billion-dollar-sized hole in the front row of the auction room

But this year’s teams say they’re not banking on a white knight to ride in and scoop up their homes

They bonded with the community during Daylesford’s ChillOut Festival, but behind the laughs was a pair laser-focused on the finish.

The long stints away from their children were the toughest part, yet they insist the experience made them stronger and sharpened their communication.

As auction day looms, they are realistic rather than rattled.

‘We spoke to ex-contestants and they’ve said, you can’t just rely on your Adrian Portellos of the world to come in,’ Taz told Daily Mail.

‘You’ve really got to market it. And we put our heart and soul into it.’

Britt agreed, adding: ‘Having a very good real estate agent definitely helps as well. What will be will be – we can’t stress about things we can’t control.’

Han and Can, the design-forward same-sex couple who joke they have been together ’20 years in Block time’, are backing the home itself to do the talking.

They leaned into contemporary, playful choices that set House Two apart, rattling off hero features like a translucent statement bath, a secret hallway with hidden doors and dramatic skylights.

Britt and Taz, (pictured) the Victorian police officers who swapped night shifts for nail guns, say they have zero interest in fairy tales and every intention of doing the hard yards

The pair admit they cried into paint buckets more than once, but say the pressure cooker only made their relationship stronger. They want girls and women watching at home to see that ‘there’s nothing you can’t do.’

On buyers, they are confident: ‘It’s contemporary, fun, playful and definitely one of a kind. If we had the money, we’d buy House Two ourselves.’

The pair say Portelli’s absence won’t impact them because they believe the right buyer will fall in love with their statement bath, skylights and hidden hallway.

Emma and Ben, the Victorian superfans who applied seven times, finally got their shot and built what they call a luxe country retreat.

They also steered clear of Portelli talk, instead pitching to a specific buyer base.

‘People looking for a country retreat should buy our house because it not only offers all the luxuries of a modern home but also has a beautiful outlook and garden,’ Ben said.

For them, it’s about targeting lifestyle-driven buyers rather than relying on the billionaire bidder who dominated the past two seasons.

Robby and Mat, the cheeky crowd favourites who built a show-stopping wine cellar, are blunt about how Portelli’s absence will reshape the auction.

Han and Can (pictured) say Portelli’s absence won’t impact them because they believe the right buyer will fall in love with their statement bath, skylights and hidden hallway

Emma and Ben (pictured), the Victorian superfans who applied seven times, finally got their shot and built what they call a luxe country retreat. They also steered clear of Portelli talk, instead pitching to a specific buyer base

Robby and Mat (pictured), the cheeky crowd favourites who built a show-stopping wine cellar, are blunt about how Portelli’s absence will reshape the auction

They told Daily Mail that they believe the finale will be ‘more fair this year’ without a billionaire bidder dominating the room, as it finally gives families and genuine buyers a chance to compete.

‘We had to stand out because every house is identical in footprint. Our wine cellar is a gamble, but we’re proud of it,’ they said.

‘This house is not for anyone – it’s for everyone. And we think that’s what will get buyers across the line.’

Sonny and Alicia, who created the only brick house on the block, are openly relieved Portelli won’t be back.

‘We all know Adrian’s not coming back,’ Sonny said. ‘This will open it up to people to have a proper auction, like back how The Block was.’

Alicia agreed, saying, ‘It feels more genuine this year. People are going on there to build and do something, not just to be part of a circus. Buyers will make that emotional connection from the minute they walk in.’