Adrian Portelli has made international headlines following his debut on Channel Nine’s The Block in 2022, which everyone watching wanted to know who this mysterious young man was.
During the auction for the 18th season, Adrian bid $5.5 million for Oz and Omar’s home – who won The Block 2022 – however, he was outbid by serial bidder Danny Wallis.
Adrian with 2022 Block winners Omar and Oz.
(Image: Instagram) (Credit: (Image: Instagram))Instead, Adrian purchased The Block runner-up Ankur and Sharon’s home for $4.25 million. While many initially labelled Adrian as a ‘dummy bidder,’ the 34-year-old Australian entrepreneur proved all the nay-sayers wrong.
Adrian is the founder of LMCT+, an online club which offers shopping discounts and giveaways to its paying subscribers. One of the items he gave away was The Block 2022 home.
A giveaway he had planned to do if he’d won the bidding war for Oz and Omar’s home.
Adrian loves his cars.
(Image: Instagram) (Credit: (Image: Instagram))”People thought I was a dummy bidder and mate of Omar and Oz. I was simply wanting to buy the four-bedroom house to give away through my business LMCT+, to give everyday Aussies the chance to win a house they’ve all become attached to over its renovation on The Block,” he said.
”It’s not my fault that Danny let his ego get in the way and drove the price up to a point where it didn’t make sense to me, so I backed out.”
However, there was no backing down during The Block 2023 auctions as Adrian purchased not one… but three homes. Particular Steph and Gian’s home for a staggering $5 million – the married contestants went on to win the season and smash Block history.
Yet, fans were scratching their heads when Adrian began to outbid himself during the auction for House 5, Eliza and Liberty.
“Everyone was quiet so I just thought I’d rev everyone up a bit,” he said.
Adrian with his $3 million super car.
(Image: Instagram) (Credit: (Image: Instagram))He then placed the winning bid on House 1, Kyle and Leslie. While his shopping frenzy stopped there, fans wondered why he didn’t purchase the whole lot.
“If I bought the whole lot I would have copped criticism,” he told TV WEEK following the auctions. “Last season I copped criticism for not buying any… I think three is a good number.”
Despite his ability to splash some cash, Adrian is not the man some believe him to be.
“I’m a very shy person, believe it or not,” he recently told the Financial Review. “I live a very basic life. I’m just into cars.”
Such a car-enthusiast, Adrian had his $3 million supercar craned into the loungeroom of his $39 million Melbourne penthouse.
.jpeg){kind=avatar}
