There is a dark cloud hanging over the premiere week of The Block’s milestone 20th season, as an old feud between hosts past and present rears its ugly head.
Original host Jamie Durie reportedly has designs to take back his old job when his replacement, Scott Cam, eventually hangs up his tool belt.
“Jamie has hosted a heap of shows here and overseas but he really loved hosting The Block, and if the opportunity came up to host it again, there’s no way he’d pass that up,” our well-placed show source reveals.
When The Block launched back in 2003, many cited celebrity gardener Jamie as one of the main reasons the series quickly became the most popular show on TV.
Viewers fell in love with the novel concept – but even more so with the handsome host.

However, despite its huge ratings success, the show was axed the following year after its second season.
A reported dispute between the Nine Network and the show’s creators was supposedly the cause of the cancellation.
Meanwhile, Jamie, 54, quit Nine three years later and signed with Channel Seven amid rumours of a massive fight over his $2 million salary.
Little did he know that the renovation show would be revived in 2010, or that his mate and former Backyard Blitz co-star Scotty would take his old job.
“I’m sure Jamie regrets quitting Nine, only to then see The Block become one of the most successful shows ever on Australian TV,” reveals our insider.

“It hurts! And yes, he’d absolutely jump at the chance to host The Block again. Who wouldn’t want Scotty’s job and the massive pay cheque that comes with it? Jamie has had his share of ups and downs.”
After Jamie left Nine, he sparked a public feud with Scotty, 61, by making a cutting comment about his new series Domestic Blitz – a whole-house spin-off of Backyard Blitz.
At the time Scotty hit back, saying Backyard Blitz got the former Manpower Australia exotic dancer “out of the leopard G-string” and onto TV.
The pair didn’t speak for some years before eventually ending their feud. But that could all change as these rumours once again surface.
As for whether Scotty plans on leaving The Block anytime soon, last year he said he had signed “a long-term deal” with Channel Nine and would be sticking with The Block for many years to come.
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