Dubai’s record AU$353bn property boom has reignited talk of a Celebrity Block edition in the emirate, but long-time host Scott Cam told Nova 100’s Jase and Lauren he wants no part in it.
Block judge Marty Fox has backed a bold push to take the hit renovation franchise to Dubai as the emirate posts an AU$353bn property boom.
The call comes as Fox’s prestige agency Whitefox has officially launched in the Middle East, expanding into one of the world’s fastest-moving luxury markets.
But long-time host Scott Cam has dismissed the idea of hosting a celebrity edition, telling Nova 100’s Jase & Lauren he wants no part of “all those egos”.
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“I would not want to do a celebrity Block,” Cam said.
“Imagine dealing with all those egos. Not on my watch. The next bloke might do it.”
Fox said Dubai’s prestige sector was operating at a speed rarely seen in Australia.
“If you save 15 to 20 properties across different precincts and revisit that list in 30 days, I’d estimate 90 per cent will have sold,” Mr Fox said.
According to the Dubai Government Media Office, Dubai recorded AED 917bn in property transactions last year, about AU$353bn, with more than 270,000 deals completed across the emirate.
Block judge Marty Fox with Surrey Sussex founder and CEO Thomas Cina, who also runs Club Ralph James, The Marketing Loft and Cullum Capital. Picture: Instagram // @martyfox
At the ultra-prestige end, 3,731 homes sold for more than AED 10m in the first half of 2025 alone, up 62.7 per cent year on year.
For Mr Fox, the appeal is both commercial and creative.
“Dubai is entering its first major renovation cycle, with homes built just a decade ago already being remodelled and flipped at scale,” he said.
“Coming from Australia, where homes evolve over generations, it’s fascinating to see a market hitting its first true reinvention phase.”
He pointed to waterfront homes in the newest Palm development trading around AED 21m, roughly AU$8.1m, alongside a pipeline of $100m-plus trophy assets rarely seen locally.
Dubai’s skyline is the backdrop to a property boom that is now pulling Australian brands and big-name attention into the desert. Picture: istock
Cranes, towers and coastline, Dubai’s relentless build pipeline is fuelling fresh speculation about a global Celebrity Block. Picture: istock
The broader appeal, he said, is structural. The UAE does not levy personal income tax, and Dubai’s Golden Visa pathway allows investors purchasing property worth AED 2m or more, about AU$770,000, to apply for a 10-year renewable residency permit.
Against that backdrop, Mr Fox said a Dubai-based celebrity edition of The Block could be “phenomenal television” , provided it stayed premium.
Marty Fox on the ground in Dubai as Whitefox opens its new office and targets a slice of the emirate’s prestige market. Picture: Whitefox Media
“It has to stay real,” he said.
“The build has to matter. The celebrities have to actually do the work.”
“If it becomes chaos without craftsmanship, people will switch off fast.”
A television industry insider said that if Nine moved toward a global celebrity format, Fox would be the logical figure to lead it.
Marty Fox in Dubai, with industry insiders tipping him to fill the hosting shoes of Scott Cam to host Celebrity Block.
“If you’re doing a premium, international season, Marty is the obvious host,” the insider said.
“He understands prestige property, he understands marketing, and he can handle big personalities without flattening them. That’s critical in a celebrity cast.”
The same insider said the casting would need genuine global pull.
“If they can land Christina Haack, Darren Palmer, and Alisa and Lysandra, that is not a season, that’s event television.”
Long time Block judge Darren Palmer has been floated as the kind of judge who could give a star-studded Celebrity Block real credibility.
US renovation star Christina Haack is among the dream names being tipped for a premium Celebrity Block judging line-up.
Christina Haack is known internationally for her US renovation series, while Australian design authority Darren Palmer has built a successful design and homewares brand with international reach.”.
“Alisa and Lysandra Fraser, former Block winners turned interiors entrepreneurs, remain two of the franchise’s most recognisable alumni.”
The idea of a celebrity or overseas Block has been openly discussed at senior production level.
Last year executive producer Julian Cress told NewsCorp Australia he would “one hundred per cent” love to make a celebrity season and has floated the idea of taking the show offshore, including to Dubai and Monaco.
“There’s no rule that says The Block has to stay in one postcode forever,” Mr Cress said.
Nine’s head of content Adrian Swift has also said the franchise “travels incredibly well”.
Block legends Alisa and Lysandra have been touted as a ready-made Celebrity Block drawcard with built-in fan power. Picture: Nine
Nine’s 1 Euro House is airing this year, as The Block’s overseas spin-off chatter grows louder, from Italy to Dubai. Picture: Nine
Another industry insider said the momentum now appears aligned.
“Nine is already testing the waters internationally with 1 Euro Houses, while one of its highest-profile judges is expanding into Dubai,” the insider said.
“There’s scepticism around a celebrity-led season, but if Marty Fox is behind it and hosting it, it will cut through.”
“It’s no longer a matter of if The Block goes global, but when.”
The 22nd season of the civilian version of The Block, based in Mount Eliza, will air on Nine later this year.
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