Episode 1 Recap: One team has a meltdown on day one of The Block 2025 as another reveals a game-changing secret

Clear your schedules and grab your high vis – it's officially Block time!

Welcome to The Block Season 21 – and the series' mammoth 951st episode overall. Now that's A LOT of waterproofing, paint and McCafé lattes.

Ain't it good to be back?!

Stream every episode ever of The Block for free on 9Now.

This year we're in glorious Daylesford, the cultural hub of country Victoria, known for its show stopping gardens, festivities and wellness scene.

Plus, as host Scott Cam's informative intro shows us, there are rainbow-wearing dogs!

For the first time ever, this year's Block features five entirely brand new houses with the exact same floor plans... so who, exactly, will be tasked with bringing them to life?

Let's meet our teams!

First to arrive on site are childhood sweethearts Emma and Ben from Melbourne. Ben is a civil engineer and Emma has many different jobs, from teaching to running a small business to being a pole dancer instructor.

They're also Block superfans, having applied for the series for seven years.

It's finally their year and we're bloody stoked for them!

WATCH: The Block 2025 cast reveal one couple cause 'chaos' while another 'have never had an argument' in new unseen video

Next up are Adelaide best mates Robby and Mat, who met 15 years ago when hairdresser (and former figure-skating champ!) Mat did barber and former soccer player Robby's 'do.

Robby's recently become a father for the first time, and Uncle Mat has loved seeing his mate evolve in his new role.

Speaking of evolving, neither have much reno experience – but neither reckon that's going to stop them from winning.

Married Queenslanders Sonny and Alicia arrive third. Alicia works in dentistry and Sonny's a plumber, which is bound to come in handy!

They're swapping their fast-paced lives as parents-of-three for fast-paced lives delivering completed rooms every single week for three months. We're not sure which sounds harder.

They've got a couple of goals: set up their family's future and hopefully not embarrass the kids in the process.

Fourth is Perth couple Han and Can, whose compatibility is so good they even work phonetically.

While Han is an adrenaline junkie with a habit of overthinking, Can balances her out with a more relaxed vibe.

They each work corporate jobs now but both grew up renoing and doing hands-on work with their dads, so neither are afraid to get stuck in.

READ MORE: How billionaire bidder Adrian Portelli's exit will impact The Block 2025 Auction Day

Finally, Britt and Taz are young parents-of-two from Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

They both work as cops in the small town, but are swapping blue for high vis for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Reno novice Taz is relieved to learn that Sonny is the only tradie in the group, but before everyone gets too friendly, Scott Cam is here to remind them all it is a competition and they're about to be not just neighbours... but rivals.

The host and his trusty companion Frankie arrive, backed by a glorious Britney Spears soundtrack. Yep, it's Scotty, b---h.

Scotty hosts a walking tour of the site and their homes for the next three months.

Goodbye, tent city! This year the teams may actually get a good night's sleep for once, and they'll be living in what Scotty rather descriptively labels the "duck's nuts of caravans", complete with kitchen amenities and double bed.

It's been all smiles so far, but now it's time to get down to business... the House Decider challenge.

This year, the teams will create a float to take part in Daylesford's annual ChillOut Festival, the largest LGBTQI festival in regional Australia.

Winner gets first dibs on the house they want!

As everyone eyes up House 1, 3 and 5 with their pitched roofs over House 2 and 4's flat roofs, putting their best, prideful foot forward is going to be very, VERY important.

In the words of Mat, "game on, molls".

At the parade, the teams get their boogie on – showing off various levels of rhythmic skill – in front of the Daylesford community, Scotty and the judges.

Oh yes! Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Marty Fox are not about to miss these festivities.

They also get to decide the winners, who are... Britt and Taz!

They immediately select House 3, which baffles with other teams who expected one of the end homes to be snapped up first.

In the end, it's Emma and Ben (House 1) and Robby and Mat (House 5) who get the coveted ends, leaving House 2 for Han and Can and House 4 for Sonny and Alicia.

Han is fuming.

She wanted one of the pitched roofs, and when they were gone she wanted House 4... but Can chose wrong in a panic.

Back on site, most of the teams explore their facades with excitement... but Han's already in a tailspin.

Can is doing her best to see the positives – and tries desperately to sell them to her partner with absolutely no success.

"I hate it," Han says.

Now that is definitely not the start you want!

The next morning, it's the first official day of The Block and after a big cry in the bath and a morning coffee, Han's feeling a little less gloomy.

This year, the teams have a $250,000 starting budget and the entire build schedule from the get go... and there's no easing in, with the main bathroom up first!

READ MORE: Which room will be renovated each week and what is the budget on The Block 2025?

Hopefully they're all feeling as prepared for the build as Taz and his 30 layers of clothing are for the chilly Victoria mornings.

Speaking of preparation, Robby's arrived with a crazy idea: he wants to dig a secret wine cellar under their house.

Right about.....

Mat is convinced it's going to be an automatic 'no', but Foreman Dan is back on The Block for another year and he's pleasantly surprised by the idea.

"Loving the sound of it..." he says.

Hold your horses. There's a lot to do first.

But if they can get him the necessary plans, he'll do his best to get it across the line.

It's a potentially Block winning gamble... here's hoping they can earn enough money to fund it!

The Blockheads' first of many appointments this year are at Reece and Beaumont for their bathroom details, and it's early days but we've officially got our first feud!

Mat and Alicia have their eyes on the same dark wooden vanity, which Alicia secures first.

Mat makes up a jingle about her treachery as he races to ensure the same cannot happen again with tiles:

"I am racing to Beaumont Tiles, to pick my flooring, before Lish does, 'cause she's already. Got. My. Vaaanity!"

It's very catchy.

As Day One comes to a close, all anyone wants to do is put their feet up and relax.

And thanks to Alicia, there is a nice new outdoor couch at camp for them to do just that.

The relaxation is made even better by some snags for dinner... and some even better budget news.

Every Sunday, Scotty and CommBank will award an extra $10,000 to the team who is managing their budget the best. That's on top of the Room Reveal and Challenge cash – cha ching!

The vibes are immaculate as the sun rises on the second day of The Block 2025... but how long can that last?

...Oh. About 12 minutes.

Site supervisor Gmac has already discovered a problem in House 2, where Han's overzealously stuffed her insulation into the ceiling rather than neatly cut them.

He orders her to redo it tidily this time.

And House 5 has a leak.

If they don't dry their floor in time, they won't be able to waterproof on time, meaning they won't be able to tile on time, meaning they won't be able to paint on time, meaning they won't be able to finish on time, meaning... OK, OK, we're catastrophising.

Tomorrow, it's time for one of The Block's most dreaded deadlines... Waterproof Wednesday, baby!

Who will make it? Who will not? And will anyone make it through without a telling off from Gmac? Only time will tell.

Ahhhhh, we've missed this reno madness. It is SO GOOD to be back – see you tomorrow!

The Block airs Sundays at 7pm and continues Monday to Wednesday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 7:00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Stream every episode ever of The Block for free on 9Now.

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