Photography: David Cook for The Block / Channel 9
What do you get when you mix five fresh-faced reno duos, a charming country town and a pub lunch with Scott Cam and Shelley Craft? A very fun day out – and a top-secret sneak peek at The Block 2025.
The Home Beautiful team was lucky enough to be invited to Daylesford to meet this year’s contestants before the show hits our screens. We toured the finished homes (yes, they’re done – and yes, they’re amazing), then joined the cast and crew at the local favourite, the Farmers Arms hotel, where much of the off-screen action happened during filming.
Over a laidback lunch, Scott and Shelley helped us get to know each pair and let’s just say there were laughs, surprises and reveals galore.
Here are five fun facts we learnt about the teams that you won’t see on TV… yet.
1. Emma and Ben have auditioned seven times for the show
Seven years is the charm, apparently, for this couple who wouldn’t give up on their Block dreams. “We just thought we’d annoy The Block so much until they got us on,” shares Emma. “The first time was when we were 25 – it would have been a disaster then!”
2. Han and Can are major Block buffs
These two did their research before going on the show, but still said it was the hardest thing they’ve ever done. “I’ve watched every season and even rewatched a couple and I even took notes on the judges’ feedback in preparation,” says Can. “And we still didn’t know where to put the toilet!” adds Han.
3. Britt had to convince Taz to apply
“I’m not a builder or anything and I didn’t really want to do the show,” reveals Taz. After five years of wearing him down, he finally relented. “We put the application in but I thought, well 40,000 people put their names in, so we’ve got no chance.” Turns out they did have a chance – and were thrilled when the call came through.
4. Sonny and Alicia went in with a social plan
“I really wanted to create connections and for them to be authentic, so if that meant having people over for dinner on a Sunday then why not? I’m happy to do that,” shares Alicia. “Making those friendships and connections was really important.”
5. Robby and Mat’s secret weapon is humour
When tiffs happened – as they inevitably did during filming – these two always lightened the mood. “I think we’re put on the planet to make people laugh,” shares Mat. “We didn’t get on the show for our ability to do anything besides be smart arses and take the piss out of ourselves.”
Everything you need to know about The Block 2025 teams
The 2025 season of The Block is almost here and we finally know who all of the new contestants are. This year, the five teams are headed for Daylesford, a small country town located just an hour and a half away from Melbourne. For the first time in Block history, the homes will all be built from scratch based on a design by longtime Block architect Julian Brenchley.
According to Julian, this year’s cast has brought the show back to basics. “What the audience can expect this year is what I would call a classic Block series,” he said. “We have a really diverse cast of hard-working people who are very competitive, engaged with their design, and of course we will have some high and lows.”
Keep reading to fnd out more about the contestants of The Block 2025.
Meet the teams of The Block 2025
Britt and Taz
Britt and Taz are a 30-year-old married couple from Western Australia. They both work as police officers in a mining town 12 hours away from Perth, where the temperature regularly hits 40 degrees, making the cold Daylesford weather quite an adjustment. Having built their own home through a project builder, the couple don’t have a lot of renovating experience. “We have done lots of things ourselves like window bench seats, paving and landscaping, but never something like the scale of The Block,” shares Britt.
However, having watched all the Block’s 20 seasons, Britt came prepared in other ways. When it comes to style, the couple describe theirs as Modern Organic Luxury.
Robby and Mat
Robby, a 37-year-old barber and business owner, and 41-year-old Mat, a hairdresser and stylist, have been best friends since Mat first cut Robby’s hair 15 years ago. Both from South Australia, the friends don’t have much renovation experience outside of the interiors of their barber shop and hair salons.
While Robby is a long-time fan of the show, Mat had to be convinced to audition. Unlike the other contestants, it will also be the first time the pair have lived together.
“We played the long game from day one. Rob and I made an executive decision on the first day that we are building for the buyer, we are not building for the judges or for anyone else but the person who’s going to purchase the home,” Mat told Domain.
Han and Can
Both from Western Australia, Han is a 29-year-old geologist and Can is a 31-year-old social media analyst. The couple bonded over The Block on their first date and are currently renovating their own home in Western Australia.
Can and Han have described their style as ‘very contemporary’ and say that they were inspired by Daylesford’s local arts community.
“We’ve done curves in every room … it was really about evoking this quite contemporary architectural approach to design and construction,” the couple told Domain.
Sonny and Alicia
Sonny and Alicia are a married couple from Queensland. Sonny, 44, works as a plumber while Alicia, 42, is a dental practice manager. The couple, who also have three children, almost didn’t apply this year after not being cast on last year’s season – but luckily they did.
Sonny and Alicia have told Domain that their home is the most colourful of this year’s homes – even though Alicia typically goes for neutrals in her own home.
Emma and Ben
Emma, a 33-year-old dance teacher, and Ben, a 32-year-old engineer and aspiring firefighter, are a married couple from Victoria. They have the most renovation experience out of all the contestants, having bought and renovated their first home when they were 24 and have worked on two more houses since.
Emma and Ben say that they are always influenced by the locations of their homes, with their Block build being a mid-century-themed home with a Daylesford country touch.
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