Trouble for The Block? Channel Nine show faces major delay for one big reason

The Block's 2025 season has allegedly hit a serious snag which has caused production to be delayed.

An industry insider exclusively told Daily Mail Australia that filming was set to commence in Daylesford this month but has now been pushed back.

Production on the popular Channel Nine reality renovation series is now reportedly slated to begin in February after being delayed for a month.

And the reason for the hold up? Our source revealed that producers are less-than-enamoured with the crop of contestants who applied for the show's 21st season. 

They claimed casting producers have been in crisis meetings with Nine executives this week because they are so far unhappy with the presented line-up for 2025.

'There are desperate measures being made to get the show right for the next series,' the source said.

'There has been a noticeable absence of what Channel Nine were interested in showcasing later this year.'

The source said Nine was interested in attracting 'older and wiser' contestants for 2025, in a bid to move away from on screen drama that has become a fixture on the show in recent seasons.

Much of the 2024 season was dominated by the controversial 'flirtgate scandal' involving married couple Brad and Kylie Baker, and their co-star Mimi Belperio.

'The Nine network wants to shift gears from what we have seen in the last few years but the problem has been the 2025 series hasn't attracted the right kind of applicants,' the source said.

'The show has had a toxic culture and what happens when a trend like that forms is that similar people apply.

'There are people wanting to be the next Kylie and Brad and there are people wanting to be the next Kristy and Brett [the 2023 'villains'].

'That is the nature of these reality shows. The people applying seem to look back at what we have just seen and try to emulate that.'

The source claimed that the network is now more interested in attracting contestants who are environmentally minded.

'The type of characters that Channel Nine are looking for are Australians who are thinking about the environment and practicing sustainability,' they said.

'The applicants need to be dynamic and ready to bring new ideas.'

The source also took time to praise the network for listening to what Block fans really want after the latest drama-packed season divided fans, with some claiming the show was trying to become like Married At First Sight.

'The good news is that Channel Nine are listening to their audience,' they added. 

'Older, wiser and inactive ideas are what the true fans want. 

'It will be a draw card if that comes off and I am sure Nine will be happy to delay the shoot if the right couples are found to shake up the last few seasons.'

Daly Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for comment. 

While viewers may think they have already seen it all on the drama-packed reality TV show, the 2025 season will be injecting another never-before-seen twist.

Contestants will have to build their luxury homes completely from scratch in a new plotline that is sure to inject even more tension into the already time-pressured and stressful builds.

The 2025 season will take place in the central Victorian town of Daylesford, and contestants will reportedly have to use their talents to build their home from the ground up.

According to Realestate.com.au, planning documents submitted to Hepburn Shire Council include five new plots that will provide a starting-off point for contestants.

Previously, Blockheads have been tasked with renovating an existing property or, in the case of the 2022 season, renovating homes that were shipped into the Gisborne site.

In a huge challenge, the 2025 contestants will be required to complete the shell of a five-bedroom floor plan, including a study, living area and a garage.

The properties will also include other lavish amenities including a covered outdoor area and a heated swimming pool.

The documents, which were submitted by Group Architects, also suggest that the five homes will be near-identical two-storey eco friendly developments.

Daylesford was set to be the site of The Block's 2024 season, however production was eventually moved to Phillip Island following a planning dispute.

Despite plans for the proposed setting being approved by the Hepburn Shire, Nine was then challenged in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). 

The network were reportedly forced to cancel $500,000 worth of accommodation it had booked for the show's cast and crew.

'We've had so many successful series in so many different locations, but we don't go where we are not welcome,' a production insider told the Herald Sun at the time.

In December, the application was finally approved by the Victorian Planning Minister to build five dwellings on a 2,000sqm block of land owned by Hygge Property.

Daylesford is located 114km from Melbourne and its unique combination of natural beauty, historic charm and vibrant local culture provides a stunning backdrop ideal for the show.

'Daylesford has a robust national tourism brand — unlike other places, we don’t rely on sun, sand, or snow for attracting visitors,' Belle Property Daylesford’s principal director, Will Walton - who sold the site to Nine for an undisclosed price - said.

'We are recognised as a culinary destination, renowned for our high-level, award-winning restaurants.

'This focus on food and wine is a key driver for our tourism sector and also stimulates our holiday investment property market.'