Adrian Portelli made headlines last year when he stunned The Block viewers and contestants by secretly purchasing all five properties during the show’s auction and season finale.

Despite his pledge not to return this year, host Scott Cam has delivered a candid message to the billionaire ahead of the show’s season premiere on Sunday.

Scott Cam made it clear he won’t be missing Portelli at The Block auctions, emphasising that his absence will create opportunities for more families to purchase homes. “We said to Adrian, ‘We’d love you not to come next year, if that’s all right”, Cam shared.

“We just said, ‘Mate thank you. You’ve been an incredible patron of our show. Would you mind having a rest?’”

Portelli has spent more $27 million on 8 properties since his first appearance in 2022, where he famously posed as a “phoney” buyer to drive up bids.

Reflecting on past seasons, Cam told Realestate.com.au. that he “won’t be nervous at all” about auction prices with Portelli’s absence.

“You know, we might not get ridiculous prices, but we’re going to give mums and dads the opportunity to buy one of these houses”.

Meanwhile, co-host Shelly Craft isn’t entirely convinced Portelli’s Block journey is over.

While Nine hasn’t received any word from Portelli ahead of The Block‘s 2025 season, Craft hinted that his return wouldn’t come as a complete surprise. “Who knows?” she said, leaving the door open for yet another unexpected appearance from the billionaire.