Could Keith really return to The Block?

With The Block foreman Dan Reilly preparing to take paternity leave, speculation has naturally turned to the man who held the role before him: fan favourite Keith Schleiger.

For many viewers, bringing Keith back would seem like an obvious move. He spent 16 seasons on the renovation series and became one of its most recognisable faces, known for his no-nonsense approach and willingness to challenge contestants and trades when things went wrong.

But according to New Idea’s on-set sources, a return may be considerably more complicated than it first appears.

A history of tension with Scotty Cam

The publication claims there may still be unresolved tension between Keith and The Block host Scott Cam.

One detail being pointed to is their social-media connection: Keith still follows Scott on Instagram, while Scott does not appear to follow Keith back.

On its own, that proves nothing. But New Idea claims sources close to the production believe the relationship between the two was strained during Keith’s final years on the show.

“Scotty and Keith butted heads quite a bit on set,” one source alleged, claiming the pair “never really saw eye to eye”.

The source further alleged that Keith believed Scott had become “too big for his boots” towards the end of his time on the programme, while Scott was supposedly not unhappy when Keith stepped away.

Those claims have not been publicly confirmed by Scott Cam, Keith Schleiger or Nine.

The judges are part of the speculation

The reported tension may not stop with the host.

New Idea also points to Keith’s Instagram connections with the Block judging panel. The publication notes that judges Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer do not appear to follow Keith back either.

Its source claims the judges were firmly aligned with Scott if there had been a falling-out.

Again, there is no public confirmation from Shaynna, Darren, Scott or Keith that an internal feud occurred, so the Instagram activity alone should not be treated as evidence of a dispute.

Keith’s departure was officially about family

What is confirmed is that Keith stepped back from his full-time Block duties in 2024 after 16 seasons.

Nine reported at the time that the decision was connected to his commitment to his two daughters and the practical difficulty of filming at Phillip Island while living in Melbourne. Keith himself explained that commuting would have meant seeing his children only around once a week, while living away from them for several months was something he did not want.

Keith also wanted to focus on his own business ventures.

Rather than disappear completely, however, he returned to the show as a special guest during the 2024 season, including a memorable reunion with Dan.

Dan Reilly became the man in charge

Keith’s full-time role was taken over by Dan Reilly, who had already been part of The Block family for years.

Dan first appeared on the programme as a contestant in 2012 alongside his wife Dani Wales, returned for The Block All Stars in 2013 and later worked alongside Keith as a foreman. After Keith stepped back, Dan became the sole foreman.

That made Dan’s upcoming paternity leave particularly significant — because it once again raises the question of who could step into the role if he is temporarily unavailable.

But Keith’s return may not be that simple

On paper, Keith has the experience, familiarity and history with the show to make him an obvious candidate.

Behind the scenes, however, New Idea suggests there could be another issue standing in the way.

If the reported tension with Scott Cam is accurate, bringing Keith back would mean putting two long-standing Block figures together again after an alleged clash that has never been publicly explained.

For now, Nine has not announced that Keith will return to replace Dan, and the claims about any lingering feud remain unconfirmed.

But with Dan preparing to step away temporarily, the question surrounding Keith has suddenly become interesting again — because the biggest obstacle to his return may not be the job itself, but what happened between the people behind the scenes.