Scott Cam’s been openly frustrated with this season of The Block, revealing the 2024 crop of contestants are “less resilient” than those of the past, and the usually jovial host has been looking visibly annoyed on screen.
“Who’s running this show?” the 61-year-old was seen chastising contestant Courtney, 32, on camera. Well, not him, for much longer…
TWO-YEAR PLAN
During the filming of the current series, Scott Cam made it quite clear he was only doing two more – “this year and next,” says a TV insider.
“When Jesse [Maguire, 29] and Paige [Beechey, 27] quit the series mid-season, it really shocked him and made him even more determined to walk away in 2025.”
“Scott holds The Block very dear to his heart and he couldn’t understand why anyone would leave his hit series and the highly emotional decision they made. It reinforced to him the idea of leaving on a high next year to spend more time with his family.”
The source reveals the TV star’s decision wasn’t spur-of-the-moment. “In 2023, rumours flew saying he was leaving, but they were quickly squashed when Scott and Nine announced he had signed a new deal,” the insider tells Woman’s Day.
“It was a two year deal to keep him on board as host of this year’s 20th-anniversary series and next year’s.”
According to the insider, this is why Nine confirmed The Block was going to Daylesford in 2025 before this season launched.
“It was part of a grand plan for Scott to leave on a high with very two different and challenging seasons of the renovation show,” says the source. “One set on an island, the other in the country.”
WINDING DOWN
As previously reported, this year’s Block was meant to be set in Daylesford but it ran into problems with council permits. Phillip Island was meant to be next year.
“Scott was bitterly disappointed Daylesford didn’t go ahead,” says the source.
“He has been openly telling friends that he wants to see the Daylesford season happen and then bow out graciously.”
While Scott’s made it clear he’s loved his gig on The Block, the TV host has admitted it’s a huge commitment and often seeps into family time.
“I work every Sunday for about three months of the year,” he says.
Even viewers have noticed he seems to be ready to walk away and get his weekends back.
“It feels like he’s been winding down for a while now,” wrote one viewer.
A Nine spokesperson says, “Scott Cam has no plans to step down from The Block.”
But Scott, who turns 61 in November said in 2020, “I will retire at some point.”
“I love telly and I love the job, but it’s not an essential part of my life. I’m definitely going to be going another three to four years into my early 60s.”
FOCUSING ON FAMILY
Devoted dad Scotty has made it clear his wife of 30 years Ann and his kids, son Charlie, 28, and 25-year-old twins Bill and Sarah come first.
“I’m a family man,” he has always said.
A source says the star’s keen to now spend more time with his loved ones than be in front of the camera.
“The boys are close to me because of the way I’ve participated in their lives,” Scotty has said, and he’s always carved out time with his clan – especially on their family farm in Mudgee, NSW, where the Cams have holidayed for decades.
“Everybody said to me, ‘You’re mad, in five years time they’ll be [adults] and they won’t go on holidays with you again.’ Well, they still come to Mudgee – now they bring their partners. We have big dinners!”
