Rolling paddocks, dogs, a gorgeous horse and one luxe guesthouse. This is the famed interior designer’s new chapter.

Neale Whitaker shocked fans in August 2025 when he revealed he’d swapped judging duties on The Block for a brand new home reno show – a rival program in the form of Channel 7’s My Reno Rules.

The new concept – which controversially has backing from ex-The Block auction-winner Adrian Portelli – sees four hardworking Aussie teams go head to head, transforming two rundown Melbourne homes into something fabulous.

Neale – who stepped back from The Block in 2023 after his partner of 20 years, David Noval-Piper, battled some “very serious health issues” will lead a judging panel that also includes buyer’s agent Simon Cohen and interior design expert Julia Green.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a show that will truly redefine renovation TV. Along with Simon and Julia, I get to share my experience with a new generation of Aussie renovators in one of my favourite cities,” the star said in a statement.

“I can’t wait to see the creative and innovative ideas our teams bring to the competition.”
Neale was part of the popular renovation series for over 13 years. (Credit: Instagram)

What happened to Neale Whitaker?

It’s something of a surprise move for the interior design expert who – just a month earlier – had taken to his Instagram page to share details of his new life away from the cameras.

“It’s funny, when I was younger, Saturday was that day that you look forward to all week. I guess it was the same for all of us,” he shared in a video at the time.

“Saturday for me, especially when I lived in London, was all about shopping. Didn’t feel like I’d had a weekend unless I went shopping,” he admitted. “Clothes. Pair of shoes. CD – remember those. Didn’t matter how poor I was either, because that’s what credit cards were for, right?”

Neale went on to say that things changed when he moved to Sydney.

“It’s when I used to hang out with my new tribe,” he said. “Bars, clubs, restaurants, getting wrecked on a Saturday night because, hey, that was what Sunday was for. Recovery. My God we had fun though.

“These days, well let’s just say it’s a different story,” Neale continued. “Weekends are pretty much about silence. Peace. Quiet. Serenity. Just me. David. The dogs. And golden hour.

“Life changes right?”
Neale and David celebrated 21 years together in August 2024. (Credit: Instagram)

Where does Neale Whitaker live?

Indeed, life at Neale and David’s country retreat, just 3km from the town of Berry, in the NSW Shoalhaven region, appears a true escape.

It has cows dotted around the paddocks, a wraparound verandah, views on all sides, and is home to their beloved old horse, Bill.

“My partner David and I used to escape Sydney with our dogs for weekends here as often as possible,” Neale told realestate.com.au in July 2024.

“We fell in love with the area — and on one road in particular. We rented a property on this road irregularly for almost 10 years and vowed that one day we would live here.”

When one such property became available, Neale and David snapped it up.

“The kitchen was a priority, so we renovated that immediately. We also opened up the old living and dining rooms to make one open-plan space. But everything else happened over time — even the bathrooms weren’t renovated until 2022,” Neale told realestate.com.au.

Later, the couple created a luxury guesthouse barn on the property, something that David told Wattyl was “a city person’s version of ‘country’ – supremely comfortable, with a sprinkling of glamour”.

However, while the couple were formerly famed for being excellent hosts and entertainers, Neale admitted that sort of thing had taken a back seat in recent years.

“David has experienced some serious health issues in recent years, and as a result, we don’t entertain as much as we did,” he told realestate.com.au.

When Neale took to Instagram in May 2024, after The Block began filming on Victoria’s Phillip Island, he assured fans, “David gets stronger with each passing month, but my decision remains to be at home as much as possible.”

 

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Who is Neale Whitaker’s partner?

It’s clear the duo’s bond is rock solid, with Neale regularly sharing snaps of him and David to social media.

The pair first met at a charity cabaret show in Sydney, where David – a hair and make-up artist – was working and Neale was performing.

They fell in love, holding a civil union ceremony in 2008, under English law, at the British Consul General in Sydney.

“We were trailblazers and took that bold step to cement our union publicly,” Neale later told The Sydney Morning Herald. 

He divulged more in an Instagram post celebrating his and David’s 16-year wedding anniversary.

“16 years ago today, on October 17, 2008, David and I said ‘I do’ at a Civil Union celebration at the British Consulate General in Sydney. Actually, we said it twice,” Neale began.

“Once beneath a portrait of the Queen at the Consul General and then again with celebrant Janet Morice in front of 30 friends at Onde, our favourite restaurant in Darlinghurst.

“At the time, our civil union was only recognised under UK law. Same-sex marriage in the UK was still five years distant, and Australia would have to wait almost a decade.

“Since that day, life has thrown us some challenges – as it does to everyone – and some wonderful times too. But we’re both still here, and so is that love. Happy Anniversary to my soulmate ♥️♥️.”

The union was built to last, with the pair celebrating their 20th anniversary together in July 2025.
Neale Whitaker and his partner have been through thick and thin together. (Credit: Instagram)
In a previous interview with The Wedding Series, Neale described his love of David’s “honesty and vulnerability.”

“David wears his heart, his soul, and his emotions on his sleeve. I had never met anyone so raw and so complex,” he explained.

“I do believe that opposites attract, but I also believe that similarities are what really bond. I think you can overthink why people are attracted to each other. At the end of the day, we just were. Like most people, David and I don’t live a perfect, Instagram life. We disagree often, but fundamentally there’s respect, understanding, and love.”

“We both know who each other is, and what we’re looking for in life. We often know what the other is thinking before we say it. We sometimes take different paths, but the destination is always the same.”

When asked what made a strong and lasting relationship, Neale pointed to “Trust, honesty, respect, patience, humour, kindness, empathy – and shared values”.

“Dogs, laughter, and chardonnay,” he added. “Accepting that, like anything worthwhile in life, relationships have to be worked at.

“There are easy bits and difficult bits and bits that make no sense at all. There is no script to a relationship and no handbook. It’s all intuitive.”