EXCLUSIVE: The TV host shares her thoughts on his upcoming rival series, My Reno Rules.

The Block’s Shelley Craft has shared her thoughts on Adrian Portelli’s new Channel 7 series. Photos: Instagram/adrian_portelli / Channel 9

For the past three years, Adrian Portelli’s name has been synonymous with The Block. The billionaire entrepreneur purchased a total of nine homes on the Channel 9 renovation series, including all five properties last season, before announcing he wouldn’t be returning in 2025.

It has since been revealed that he will host his own reality show on Channel 7 alongside Dr Chris Brown, titled My Reno Rules, which is set to premiere in 2026. The series is a brand-new renovation competition that will see four “hardworking teams of Aussie battlers” going head-to-head as they transform two neighbouring rundown houses in Melbourne into breathtaking homes.

While the announcement came just days before The Block’s twenty-first season premiered on Sunday night, host Shelley Craft tells Yahoo Lifestyle she wishes Adrian all the best in his new venture.

“I was like, ‘Oh, there he is!’,” she shares about her reaction to the news. “I was wondering, if he was leaving us behind, where was he going to publicise his next venture? So when I saw him pop up with that, I was like, ‘Oh, there you go, that’s great’.

“Obviously, his business has an incredible model of lotteries for different things, whether it’s jet skis or homes or caravans. The way he’s going about this, good luck to them.”

Shelley says she wishes Adrian all the best in his new venture. Photo: Channel 9

Scott’s message to rival renovation shows

Shelley’s comments echo those of Scott Cam, who told Yahoo Lifestyle in 2023 that he wished Dr Chris Brown all the best with his rival renovation series Dream Home, which was cancelled after one season.

“Stay off my turf, Browny!” Scott joked. “Chris is a great mate of mine, and good luck to him.

“Competition is healthy, and if his show rates reasonably well, that means that people are still interested in this style of television. As soon as they stop watching other shows or our show, then that’s the end of that style.”

He went on to say that he’d never wish “bad luck” on anyone making TV because he knows firsthand how hard it is to do, adding: “We don’t want them to beat us, of course, if they go head to head, but we don’t want them to dismally fail. I know what it’s like.”

Will The Block survive without Adrian Portelli?

Adrian Portelli’s departure from The Block has sparked concerns among viewers that this season’s contestants may not earn as much money, or even sell their properties, without his involvement.

Shelley tells Yahoo Lifestyle that while she understands the concern based on the results of last year’s auction, she’s hopeful that his absence will allow families, local bidders, and other “fresh faces” to get involved this time around.

“I love the fact that we’re introducing the audience to Daylesford over a three-month period that they may not have thought about making the tree change,” she remarks. “And once they see it playing out and how much fun we all had there and how we loved it as a community – and through our challenges, we explore a lot of the local area – that maybe moving out of the city and moving to Daylesford wouldn’t be a bad idea. And hey, there just happens to be five houses going to auction!”

Adrian Portelli purchased all five houses on last year’s season of The Block. Photo: Instagram/adrianportelli

She adds that Adrian and IT entrepreneur Danny Wallis certainly make “awesome TV”, but there’s plenty of drama on auction day, whether or not they’re in attendance.

“[The contestants] know from day one they’re playing for $100,000 prize money. That is the only thing that is guaranteed on the show,” she shares.

“We cannot guarantee the sales, we cannot guarantee bidders, and I think that’s a message for their agents too – don’t rest on the laurels of a 12-week marketing campaign through The Block TV series. They’re going to have to get out their little black books, and they’re going to have to work hard to have bidders there on the day.”