Ricky Recard has responded to fans branding him the heartthrob of The Block’s hotly-anticipated 20th anniversary series.
The Melbourne-based plumber, 34, has made an impression after joining the smash hit renovation competition alongside his best mate Haydn Wise on the Yellow Team.
As the contest has got underway, Ricky has won over huge legions of fans with many viewers calling him their celebrity crush as they have commented on his looks.
Fans have also been left charmed by his positive attitude and cheeky sense of humour, taking to social media to brand Ricky and his pal Hayden as their favourites.
Responding to the reaction, Ricky laughed off being called a celebrity crush as he modestly insisted he is in no way notable enough to be given the label.
‘I don’t know if I consider myself a celebrity, seriously,’ he told Yahoo Lifestyle. ‘I think as a celebrity, you’ve got to have a fair resume, right? Like Shelley [Craft], she’s got the list – Saturday Disney for years, Funniest Home Videos, The Block.
‘She’s an Australian icon and I’m just an absolute nobody. But if people want to have a crush on me, that’s cool. I appreciate the love.’
On The Block, Ricky also confessed that host Shelley, 48, is actually his celebrity crush, and has now commented on how starstruck he was to meet her in person.
Ricky Recard has responded to fans branding him the heartthrob of The Block’s hotly-anticipated 20th anniversary series after they were won over by his charm and humour
Responding to fans calling him their celebrity crush, Ricky laughed off the reaction as he modestly insisted he is in no way notable enough to be given the label
‘She’s so lovely,’ he gushed. ‘That was probably a bit of a moment for me, I was like, wow, I’m actually rubbing shoulders [with her] and I’m actually talking to her!’
Just days after The Block returned to screens, fans have already been calling for Ricky and Haydn to be crowned the winners of the 2024 series.
Taking to Instagram, one fan proved they were the firm favourites as they wrote: ‘Ricky and Hayden for the win!’
‘How cute was Ricky,’ another commented while a third added: ‘My current crush is Ricky.’
Despite fans calling for their victory, the pair recently insisted they had no game plan whatsoever, confessing: ‘We are just winging it,’ in a recent scene.
The best friends are up against the likes of married couple Courtney and Grant on the Red Team, and Queensland couple Kylie and Brad Vines on the Green Team.
The Purple Team’s Kristian and Mimi are no strangers to the spotlight after the pair went viral on TikTok for their Disney-themed wedding in Adelaide in 2023.
It has already been teased that the duo will bring the drama for the 20th anniversary season.
The Melbourne-based plumber, 34, has made an impression after joining the smash hit renovation competition alongside his best mate Haydn Wise on the Yellow Team
A source told Yahoo Lifestyle: ‘The feeling is that we have bought some serious dynamite with these two and we are just waiting for an explosion.’
The milestone series was rocked by difficulties early on as the Blue Team’s Jesse and Paige, from WA, quit just five weeks into filming.
The shock decision was said to be of the pair’s own accord and it has been claimed they will be replaced by another eager pair on the 2024 series.
The upcoming series of The Block was filmed earlier this year in the popular Victorian tourism hotspot Phillip Island.
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed that a Channel Nine-owned company purchased Island Cove Villas on the Victorian Island for a whopping $9.5million.
Situated two-and-a-half hours from Melbourne, the site currently features nine homes, a communal pool, a BBQ pavilion, tennis court and a children’s playground.
