The Block 2023: meet the cast

Welcome to The Block, Season 19.

Filmed int he SE Melbourne suburb of Hampton East, the new series features five houses designed and built in the 1950s and located on the aptly named Charming Street.

There are five brand new teams from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Beginning with a ’50s theme, Scott Cam says “This series is guaranteed to be a dead-set blockbuster.”

Shelley Craft added, “This series’ houses may seem charming on the surface, but our contestants will be in for a shock as they uncover a host of pitfalls not evident upon first inspection.”

Judges Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker are joined by guest judge Rral estate expert, Marty Fox, who has sold two houses on The Block before – Harry and Tash’s in Brighton in 2020, and Rachel and Ryan’s in Gisborne in 2022.

Foremen Keith Schleiger and Dan Reilly will be joined on site with the fan favourite from last year, Tom Calleja.

Julian Brenchley is resident architect, while Executive Producer Julian Cress, who created the show with fellow EP David Barbour, celebrate their 20th year.

“We thought we were pretty lucky to get the show on air in the first year we made it,” he said.

“Just getting The Block commissioned was a huge achievement and there is no way we thought we would still be here making the show 20 years later.

“But the great thing about it is we all still love making the show, and no two series of The Block are ever the same, as these five new teams will truly prove this year!”

One team will win a $100,000 prize for making the most profit at auction at season’s end.

Steph and Gian
Married from Sydney, NSW

At 27, Steph and Gian are our youngest contestants on The Block. They are childhood sweethearts who met on the school bus in year 7 and have been together ever since. “We had an instant connection just as friends,” Gian said They married last year in a glamorous ceremony and are adored by their family and friends.

The couple recently bought and renovated the home they live in now in Sydney, so they are ready for The Block. “The reason we wanted to go on The Block was because we renovated our house last year and fell in love with the process,” Steph said. Steph being an architect means they have a strong advantage from the beginning. They have watched the show over the years, and Steph’s family are all in construction.

Steph, 27, architect
Steph is confident and assured, and impressive in her profession. In her spare time she enjoys Pilates. She won’t be shy to give her opinion, which might ruffle feathers. She is a kind soul and highly organised. Design-wise, she will bring Japandi – a mix between Japanese and Scandinavian – to The Block. “As a residential architect I specialise in Scandinavian, art deco, mid-century homes,” she said.

Gian 27, start-up worker
Working in finance, Gian is now with a tech start-up where he drives growth strategies. He is a problem solver and a great thinker who enjoys running and fitness when not working. According to Steph, he has a fantastic attitude to life in general and is a whizz at budgeting. “You give Gian a task and he gets it done,” she says.

Elisa and Liberty
Sisters from Melbourne, VIC

These mid-thirties sisters grew up in Adelaide, and now live in Melbourne together, and were as surprised as anyone when they ended up on The Block. They are very different personalities who complement each other, but are both single and ready to mingle. “I’m into health and fitness, and Eliza would rather sleep,” Liberty said. Both say they lead great lives, but having the same routine day after day made them approach The Block as their way of stepping out of their comfort zone and doing something different.

The sisters have zero renovation or building experience. “So if we can do it, anyone can,” Eliza declared. “It’s overwhelming. Despite thriving in our careers and like being on top of our game, we could not be further from it here.” Despite having no experience they will throw everything at the challenge from day one.

Eliza, 37, personal assistant
Eliza has worked in the entertainment industry and as a radio producer, so she is no stranger to television. She has a fantastic attitude and will be very well liked on The Block.“I’m just going to give it a red-hot crack,” she said. In her personal life she is a mental health advocate who gives talks in schools. She loves to cook and sleep in. Her sister Liberty admires how strong she is. “Eliza is not afraid to have very open and honest conversations with people, and I love that.”

Liberty, 34, producer
Liberty gets up at 5am everyday to go to the gym and loves her routine. She has worked for the Richmond Football Club as a producer in events, and now works for an advertising company. The Block has come along just at the right time for them. “We are both single, in our mid-thirties, and nothing is holding us back,” Liberty said. “Everything has just aligned.” A fitness nut, Liberty was the first person in the world to reach 700 classes in the Body Fit training gym franchise.

Leah and Ash
Parents from Brisbane, QLD

This married couple complement each other very well. Both are sociable, can be the life of the party, and are not afraid to express their opinions. Leah and Ash have three children, Austin, 8, Marnie, 4, and Hugh, 2, and want to get out of their comfort zone on The Block. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we are capable of,” Leah said. “We’ve done the process of building renovations many, many times, but this is on a whole new level.”

One of the more experienced couples on The Block, this pair have a long history of renovating. They bought a dilapidated Queenslander recently that they are living in and renovating. Ash had a background in sales before starting his own building company with Leah. It’s been a chaotic few years, but doing The Block seems like the natural thing to do. “We have just started a new business, we have three kids and we are halfway through this mammoth renovation, so why not do The Block?”- Ash

Leah, 31, first aid trainer
Leah has a passion for building and design, and can see herself having a real future in that field. Her style of design on The Block will be bold and different and will turn heads. Her aim is to build a house with a modern art/deco feel. Leah has a very generous nature, but she’s not afraid to express her opinions. She is described by her husband Ash as a “go getter”.

Ash, 38, builder
Ash had a career in sales before following his dream to start his own building company. He loves his children and is a fantastic family man. He could be described as your typical, laconic Queenslander. “I’m a real bloke’s bloke,” he said. “I feel like I get along with everyone.” Ash will save money on The Block by using his skills as a builder/carpenter.

Kyle and Leslie
Parents from Perth, WA

This married couple met in a nightclub 12 years ago and immediately hit it off. They married in 2014 and are an incredibly strong couple who bounce off each other. They have two children, Luca, 11, and Archer, 7. Archer was diagnosed with Autism at two and half years of age. Kyle and Leslie have applied for The Block five times. Luca said “one last chance” and they ended up getting on the show. “It’s the ultimate challenge,” Leslie said. “Obviously there is the opportunity of financial reward at the end, but there are the rewards of everything you go through before that.”

They own their own house in the Perth suburb of Caversham. “We built our house through a building company,” Kyle said. “They left it with the bare bones and we did the rest.” They are always looking for their next dream home to have a crack at, which they hope to find after The Block.

Kyle, 36, firefighter
Kyle says being a firefighter is his dream job that took a few tries to get into. This hard-working family man is no-nonsense in the way he goes about things. He is a huge sports fan and loves nothing more after a big day at work than sitting at home watching the footy with his family. As in life, Kyle will be methodical and considered on The Block.

Leslie, 34, educational assistant
Leslie came to Australia from Zimbabwe with her parents and sister two decades ago. She has a bright and bubbly personality, is very funny, warm and engaging, and is studying to become a teacher. Leslie is very sociable and looking forward to making new friends on The Block, as well as the renovating experience. “We’ve applied a few times and waited a long time, so we can’t wait to get started,” she said.

Kristy and Brett
Married from Adelaide, SA

Together for ten years and married for three, Kristy and Brett are strong characters who will never be far from the action or the drama on The Block this year. Both are forthright in their opinions and won’t be afraid to stir the pot in Charming Street. They are very structured in their lives and looking forward to the unpredictability of The Block. “It’s the unknown that is exciting for us,” Kristy said. “In our roles back in Adelaide we have done it for so long, and you don’t get out of your comfort zone. But with this there is such an unknown and we are looking forward to that.”

The couple own their own house in Adelaide and are planning a renovation, having renovated a bathroom before. Kristy and Brett work in the power and energy space and have very successful careers. They plan to bring those planning skills to The Block. Kristy, 34, project manager Kristy describes herself as very competitive, and that will show early on the program due to the dedication and drive that has marked her successful career.

Kristy, 34, project manager
Kristy describes herself as very competitive, and that will show early on the program due to the dedication and drive that has marked her successful career. She wants to create a house that will feature both Victorian and modern contemporary features and she isn’t afraid of getting on the tools, saying: “I’m all for getting my hands dirty.” She isn’t afraid to call people out if she sees something she thinks is wrong. “If I see something that is wrong or someone is being unfair, I will be the first person to speak up,” she said.

Brett, 34, safety advisor
Brett works at a power substation but has a history of working as a tiler – which he wants to keep quiet on The Block. “I’m a former tiler, but I don’t want to tell people that,” he said. “I want to keep it a surprise.” When he isn’t working he loves Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Hosts: Scott Cam, Shelley Craft.

Judges: L to R: Neil Whitaker, Daren Palmer, Shaynna Blaze, Marty Fox.

Marty Fox
The new judge on The Block, Marty Fox, has had a big career in real estate, including being co-founder and director of WhiteFox Real Estate.Marty first came to the attention of Block fans as the auctioneer who sold both Harry and Tash’s house in Brighton (2020) and Rachel and Ryan’s in Gisborne (2022). “I’ve always respected the show and been very impressed how everyone on The Block does business,” he said. “It’s really nice to come back into the show having been on the periphery in the past. It’s almost like a tick for me professionally.” Marty and his wife Charlotte live in the Melbourne suburb of Toorak with their three children Freddy, 6, Olive, 4, and Bonnie, 1. He and Charlotte are seasoned property flippers, having renovated 12 properties over the past 15 years. “For me, the style of a property has always been what is the best return for your investment,” he said. “In terms of our personal style it is generally of a period nature, old Victorian homes. My thing going into The Block is to make sure the contestants deliver a house that is as timeless as possible, but still keeping to the trends.” The Block is his first television gig. He is only the second real estate expert to be a judge on The Block. John McGrath was a judge in the early series of the show.

Foremen: L to R: Keith Schleiger, Tom Calleja, Dan Reilly.

Tom Calleja, Plumber.
Fan favourite Tom Calleja loved The Block so much last year with his wife Sarah-Jane that when the opportunity came up to come back this season he jumped at it. Tom will be the resident plumper on The Block, helping the contestants as they navigate the build, especially with bathrooms. He is also a hipages ambassador who will award contestants he believes are working hard and building at a high standard with $10,000 throughout the three months of filming. “I’m loving being back, it was an honour to be asked,” he said. “I’m having an absolute blast and it’s great to be on the other side after being a contestant last year. It’s also great to learn and get an understanding of the production side of things.” Tom and Sarah-Jane have a two-year-old girl, Cleo, and are expecting a new baby boy before the end of the year. He has a plumbing business in Melbourne. Tom and Sarah-Jane may have only won $20,000 last year at auction day, but they impressed fans for their incredible attitude throughout the series.

The Block screens Sunday- Wednesday on Nine.