Seven last night launched its new entry into the home renovation show market with “My Reno Rules”, and at the top of the premiere episode, the show’s principal sponsor revealed exactly what each team would be playing for.
Portelli – a man with a net worth far north of $1 billion – told the four teams competing to renovate two run-down Melbourne houses that the winner of the season would score $100,000 for their efforts.
That “insane” prize pool was enough to leave at least one contestant fighting back tears – but it appears Portelli’s decided to dig even further into his coffers.
In a preview of tonight’s episode, Portelli is shown telling the contestants that he’s decided to “up the ante” on the competition – by a factor of 10: “First place will now be competing for one million dollars,” he tells them. The runner-up team will also go home a lot richer, earning $250,000 for their efforts.
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“I did not know this,” says the show’s host, Dr Chris Brown.
Portelli has moved to Seven’s new reno show after a long and fruitful association with Nine’s hit series The Block, a relationship lasting several years and culminating at the 2024 season finale, when he bought up every single house at auction.
By last year’s Block season finale, when Portelli had already made his move to Seven, it appeared the relationship had soured: Watching from home, he gloated on social media over the fact the contestants were struggling to make a profit at auction without him there to drive the bidding.
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And Portelli isn’t the only ex-Block personality to make the leap over to My Reno Rules: Former Block judge Neale Whittaker will now serve as one-third of the judging panel for Seven’s rival program.
Set across two 1970s homes in the north Melbourne suburb of Bulleen, My Reno Rules will diverge from The Block’s auction finale format to play to Portelli’s business interest as the founder of the subscription-based rewards club LMCT+.
Both finished homes will be given away to members of the public who have entered the competition via the LMCT+ website. Winners will be given the choice of one of the homes or $2 million in cash.
Unusually for a TV giveaway, those who want to enter the competition will have to pay for the privelige: The cheapest entry option is $10 for three entries, all the way up to $500 for 1500 entries.
The winners will be drawn during a live televised finale on June 2 – and those selected will have exactly three minutes to answer their phones and claim their prize live on television before it goes to a redraw.
A June 2 finale puts the show at a relatively brief six-week season, compared to the mammoth 12-week seasons over on The Block.
The terms and conditions for the giveaway states that it is open to viewers across the country, except for South Australia “due to regulatory requirements under South Australian law.”