The Block’s wonder couple are cashing in again

Scott Cam won’t miss Adrian Portelli on auction day.

The Block host believes the billionaire businessman’s decision to retire his paddle after spending more than $27 million on eight houses will simply pave the way for families to get back in the bidding at long last.

“I won’t be nervous about that at all,” Cam said of Portelli calling it a day after dominating the previous two auctions.

“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.

“And we’re going to get families the opportunity to buy one. Or holiday houses for people. It’s going to open it right up. We want these homes to go to families. They eventually do when Portelli buys them, but this way we cut out the middleman. Let’s just get them to the families.”

Adrian Portelli with Scott Cam. Picture: Instagram

Portelli broke records in 2024 when he snapped up all five Phillip Island properties for more than $15.03 million. The combined total of $5.43 million in winnings also made it the most lucrative auction day for contestants in the show’s history.

The richlister is now hoping to sell the entire Phillip Island complex to a single buyer after failing to offload the resort in a December lottery.

In the previous year, Portelli earned the nickname “Lambo Guy” when he rolled up to the Gisborne auctions in a yellow Lamborghini and bought three out of five houses for a combined price of $12m.

For Cam, with or without Portelli, auction day is always a nerve-racking affair. But he’s confident all five houses will draw a crowd this year.

“It’s a very trying time for Shelley (Craft) and I,” Cam explains of the unpredictability of auction day.

“It’s the only day we get nervous. We want them to win. We never set anyone up to fail. We want them to make money. And they’ve worked hard, and they deserve it. Actually, sometimes people don’t deserve it, but this year, they do.”

Portelli broke records in 2024 when he snapped up all five Phillip Island properties for more than $15.03 million. Picture: NewsWire/ David Crosling

Victorian contestant Em admits that while she’s “a little worried” to not have Portelli bidding this year, she feels confident in what she and husband Ben have built.

“I think we’ve created a beautiful house. So, I think there’ll be a buyer out there that’ll be very interested in this house,” she says.

Her South Australian neighbour and fellow contestant Robby agrees, adding: “With Adrian Portelli not buying houses, it opens it up for everyone.

“Before, when there’s some big buyers in the room and Adrian’s in the room, they think they have no chance. This might bring it back to how it used to be.”

As for Shelley Craft, she isn’t certain we have seen the last of the mysterious Portelli, who, history has shown, always enjoys the element of surprise.

“We haven’t heard from Adrian, so who knows whether he will be here or not,” she smiled.

“He said he’s not coming … but who knows.”

The Block will premiere on Sunday July 27 at 7pm on Channel 9 and 9Now