Channel Seven’s new renovation show to rival The Block in TURMOIL as mystery surrounds Adrian Portelli’s involvement and a builder walks off the set

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There’s chaos surrounding Channel Seven’s upcoming reality series, My Reno Rules.

The new show, from the makers of MasterChef, aims to compete with Channel Nine’s The Block. Four teams will go head-to-head renovating two dilapidated houses next door to each other in Melbourne.

Shortly after the show’s announcement, one of the construction workers quit, and there’s speculation that Adrian Portelli, who previously competed on *The Block*, might appear on screen, as he’d already confirmed his involvement.

The 36-year-old entrepreneur, nicknamed ‘Mr Lambo’, has consistently used social media to present himself as a prominent figure associated with the show.

Sources familiar with the struggling production have revealed to the Daily Mail that Portelli maintains a very low profile on set.

Seven announced last month that Portelli will be in charge of the show’s live prize giveaway.

Although there have been claims he’s actively involved, a source close to the situation told the Daily Mail they haven’t seen any proof of that.

The new show, My Reno Rules, will be hosted by Dr. Chris Brown, who will also serve as the sole host and main face of the program.

Records show that developer Portelli purchased two older houses in Bulleen, a suburb 15 kilometers from Melbourne’s city center, for use with the TV show *My Reno Rules*.

Portelli bought two properties, totaling $2.7 million, using his company Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, and then provided them to the show as a contribution.

According to a source who spoke with Daily Mail, Portelli is currently only providing financial backing for the project. Filming hasn’t begun at the Bulleen location yet because the original construction company pulled out.

The show, due to start shooting on September 26, is now more than seven weeks behind schedule.

A source close to the show confirmed that reports claiming the homes weren’t prepared for filming are inaccurate.

They explained that the main problem was the production team needed to find a new construction company to handle the project.

Someone with knowledge of the construction project in Bulleen verified that the initial building company left the job due to a payment dispute.

When contacted by Daily Mail, a spokesperson for Portelli and Seven confirmed that their new show, My Reno Rules, will begin filming later this year.

We’re still talking with several builders as we prepare for construction, according to a recent statement.

Building will begin later this year, and the show will first air on Seven and 7plus in 2026.

Portelli officially turned his back on Channel Nine’s The Block in July this year.

After spending millions buying properties on the show over the past three seasons, the investor announced on social media that he’s leaving the series permanently.

When Portelli decided to leave The Block after investing $15 million in the five properties on Phillip Island last year, the contestants for the 2025 season had varying reactions.

Current contestant Taz told the Daily Mail that it’s not enough to depend on a few strong players like Adrian Portelli to carry the competition. They spoke to former contestants who agreed.

‘You’ve really got to market it. And we put our heart and soul into it.’

Britt, another member of the 2025 Blockheads, also pointed out that a great real estate agent can make a big difference. She added that ultimately, things will happen as they’re meant to, and there’s no point in worrying about what’s beyond our control.

Sonny and Alicia, the couple who built the only brick house on the street this season, are happy to hear that Portelli won’t be returning.

Sonny stated plainly, ‘Adrian isn’t returning,’ and suggested this would allow them to hold a real auction, similar to the way things were done on The Block.

In a recent Daily Mail interview, The Block’s foreman, Keith Schleiger, also shared his thoughts on why contestant Sarah Portelli decided to leave the show.

Keith said he thinks the current situation is great, but he’s always disliked the recent changes. He’d prefer if the show returned to its traditional auction format.

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2025-09-19 14:19