“They’re completely out of touch and unrealistic.”

For the last few years on The Block, billionaire Adrian Portelli has spent generously at the final auctions. However, after buying all five Phillip Island homes last season, Portelli decided that he wouldn’t be showing up to this year’s auction.

While there were whispers before the auction that move was felt at this year’s Dayesford auction, with one home selling just over the reserve and two houses passing in.

Now, the 36-year-old entrepreneur has spoken out about why he thinks the auction resulted in some less-than-optimal results for the Blockheads — and he did not hold back.

 

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“They’re completely out of touch and unrealistic,” Portelli told News.com.

“The Block pitches themselves as a good opportunity for families to buy these famous homes, but these houses aren’t built for everyday Australians. They are meant for the super-rich.

“Who is going to go and bid on them when they know they’re competing against billionaires? These houses aren’t targeted at everyday Aussies. They’re multimillion-dollar homes.”

While Portelli became known as The Block’s billionaire bidder, he says he parted ways with the show after the knocked down his pitch for his show My Reno Rules, which is due to air on Channel Seven in 2026.

““It was initially going to be with Channel 9, but they lost interest,” Portelli explained.

“So I said, ‘All right, if you don’t see the potential in it, I’ll take it somewhere else’. I went to Channel 7, pitched it within five minutes, and told them, ‘If you want it, great; if not, see you later. ’ And sure enough, twenty minutes later they rang me up and said, ‘let’s do it.’ That’s the story behind that.”
“Bet my high school teachers never thought I’d have my own TV show on Channel 7!” he wrote on Instagram. Plus, Adrian is hosting the show alongside Dr Chris Brown. (Image: Instagram)
Portelli feels pretty confident about My Reno Rules. In fact, he think it’s going to be more successful than The Block.

“Why will it be more successful?, Because everyone watching at home has a chance to win these homes,” he continued.

“Every day Aussies can follow the journey of these homes being completely renovated. And essentially, it could be their home being renovated right before their eyes. The Block appeals to less than 1 per cent of its viewing audience. Meanwhile, My Reno Rules gives everyone a chance to win.”
Adrian with The Block co-creator Julian Cress back in 2024. (Image: Instagram)
The LMCT+ owner’s first ever appearance on The Block was in 2022 when he rocked up to Omar and Oz’s auction in a bright yellow Lamborghini. While he couldn’t compete with Danny Wallis at the time, he eventually bought Sharon and Ankur’s house after auction for $4.25 million.

In 2023, he bought three houses during the Charming Street auctions and spent a whopping total of $12,400,000. Then, he topped it by buying all five Phillip Island homes in 2024.