The Block Australia 2022 contestant Tom Calleja was recently spotted on set for the upcoming 2023 series and now we know why.

ICYMI: In April, the plumber was papped in his tradie gear on The Block‘s building site in Melbourne. Tom and his wife Sarah-Jane Calleja devastatingly took home just $20,000 profit last season and revealed the series left them in debt.

So Tom’s recent sighting at the worksite led many to believe that he may have been given a second shot on the show.

tom calleja tradie the block
Tom Calleja was spotted on set for the upcoming season of The Block Australia and we’ve found out why. Source: Facebook

However, So Dramatic! can exclusively reveal that unfortunately, the fan favourite isn’t returning as a contestant. Sigh.

As reported in episode 297 of the So Dramatic! podcast, Tom has been given a brand new role on the show. The father-of-one has been hired to oversee the plumbing on The Block and this isn’t a bad consolation prize if you ask us!

Our source also confirmed that all the renovators on the upcoming season hadn’t been on the show before, so it doesn’t look like any of our faves will be returning.

The Block’s Tom and Sarah-Jane Calleja speak out about their heartbreaking loss

After The Block Finale last year, the couple shared that they lost a whopping $100,000 due to bills, personal expenses and the cost of daycare for their daughter Cleo while they filmed the show.

Despite receiving $200 a day from Channel Nine, Sarah-Jane explained that it only just covered the $120-a-day cost of daycare, with little left to cover bills and mortgage payments.

tom sarah-jane the block
Tom and Sarah-Jane revealed that they lost a devastating amount of money after The Block Finale last year. Source: Nine

“[After childcare], we were left with $80 combined to cover all of our bills at home,” the 30-year-old explained.

“Our rates, mortgages, utilities, food and clothes for our daughter, just everything.”

We’re glad that Channel Nine is helping the couple out. After all, a plumbing gig for The Block must pay super well…

Want even more goss? Listen to the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto below!

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