Dubai’s record AU$353 billion growth has reignited rumors of a Celebrity Block edition in the emirate, but long-time presenter Scott Cam told Nova 100’s Jase and Lauren he doesn’t want to take part.
Judge Marty Fox has backed a bold bid to bring the popular renovation franchise to Dubai as the emirate posts a AU$353 billion property boom.
The call comes as Fox’s prestige agency Whitefox has officially launched in the Middle East and expanded into one of the world’s fastest-moving luxury markets.
But presenter Scott Cam has dismissed the idea of hosting a celebrity edition, telling Nova 100’s Jase & Lauren he doesn’t want to be part of “all those egos”.
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“I wouldn’t want to do a celebrity block,” Cam said.
“Imagine dealing with all those egos. Not under my supervision. The next guy might do it.”
Fox said Dubai’s prestige sector was operating at a speed rarely seen in Australia.
“If you keep 15 to 20 properties spread across different districts and revisit that list in 30 days, I would estimate that 90 percent will be sold,” Mr. Fox said.
According to the Dubai Government Media Office, Dubai recorded AED917 billion in real estate transactions last year, approximately AU$353 billion, with more than 270,000 deals 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. Photo: Instagram // @martyfox
At the ultra-prestige end, 3,731 homes were sold for more than AED 10 million in the first half of 2025 alone, up 62.7 percent 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 renovated and flipped to scale,” he said.
“Coming from Australia, where homes evolve from generation to generation, it is fascinating to see a market reach its first real reinvention phase.”
He pointed to waterfront homes in the latest Palm project, which is trading at around AED21 million, roughly AU$8.1 million, alongside a pipeline of more than $100 million in trophy assets rarely seen locally.
Dubai’s skyline is the backdrop to a property boom that is now drawing the attention of Australian brands and big names into the desert. Image: istock
Cranes, towers and coastline, Dubai’s relentless construction pipeline fuels new speculation about a global Celebrity Block. Image: istock
According to him, the broader appeal is structural. The UAE does not charge personal income tax, and through Dubai’s Golden Visa pathway, investors purchasing property worth AED 2 million or more, approximately AU$770,000, can apply for a 10-year renewable residency permit.
Against that backdrop, Fox said a Dubai-based celebrity edition of The Block could be “phenomenal television” provided it remained premium.
Marty Fox on the ground in Dubai as Whitefox opens its new office and focuses on part of the emirate’s prestige market. Photo: Whitefox Media
“It has to stay real,” he said.
“The construction has to matter. The celebrities have to actually do the work.”
“If it becomes chaos without craftsmanship, people quickly drop out.”
A television industry insider said that if Nine were to move towards a global celebrity format, Fox would be the logical figure to lead it.
Marty Fox in Dubai, where industry insiders tipped him to fill Scott Cam’s hosting shoes to host Celebrity Block.
“If you’re doing an international premium season, Marty is the obvious host,” the insider said.
“He understands prestige ownership, he understands marketing, and he can deal with big personalities without flattening them. That’s critical in a celebrity cast.”
The same insider said the casting would need true global appeal.
“If they can get Christina Haack, Darren Palmer and Alisa and Lysandra, that’s not a season, that’s event television.”
For a long time, Block judge Darren Palmer was presented as the kind of judge who could give a star-studded Celebrity Block real credibility.
American renovation star Christina Haack is one of the dream names tipped for a premium Celebrity Block jury.
Christina Haack is internationally known for her American 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 interior design entrepreneurs, remain two of the franchise’s most recognizable alumni.”
The idea of a celebrity or foreign bloc has been openly discussed at senior production levels.
Last year executive produced Julian Cress told NewsCorp Australia he would “one hundred percent” love to make a celebrity season and has floated the idea of taking the show abroad, including to Dubai and Monaco.
“There is no rule that says The Block has to stay in one zip code forever,” Cress said.
Nine’s head of content, Adrian Swift, also said the franchise is “traveling incredibly well”.
Block legends Alisa and Lysandra are touted as a ready-made Celebrity Block drawcard with built-in fan power. Image: Nine
Nine’s 1 Euro House is set to air this year, as The Block’s chatter about the foreign spin-off grows louder, from Italy to Dubai. Image: Nine
Another industry insider said the momentum now appears to be aligning.
“Nine is already testing the waters internationally with 1 Euro Houses, while one of the most prominent judges is expanding to Dubai,” the insider said.
“There is skepticism around a celebrity-led season, but if Marty Fox is behind it and hosts, it will break through.”
“It is no longer a question of if The Block will go global, but when.”
The 22nd season of the civilian version of The Block, set in Mount Elizawill air on Nine later this year.
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david.bonaddio@news.com.au
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