Trigger warning: This article discusses pregnancy and infant loss.
If you’ve watched The Block over the years, chances are you’ve seen Dan Reilly in a hard hat, walking around the site and keeping the contestants in check.
But long before he became Foreman Dan, Dan and his wife Dani Wales were Blockheads themselves — and the couple’s story goes back much further than their time on the renovation show.
So, who is Dan Reilly, who is his wife Dani and what do we know about their family?
Here’s everything you need to know.
How did The Block’s Dan and Dani meet?
Dan and Dani’s love story began long before The Block. The pair met while they were both living in London after attending a mutual friend’s birthday party.
They hit it off and made things official on March 7, 2009, beginning a relationship that would eventually take them all the way to The Block — and beyond.
By the time they appeared on the show, the couple had already been together for several years and were ready to put their renovation skills to the test.
Dan and Dani were The Block contestants
Long before he was telling contestants what they could and couldn’t do on site, Dan was one of them. Dan and Dani appeared on The Block in 2012, competing in the show’s fifth season.
The couple made it all the way to the end, finishing as runners-up and walking away with an impressive $448,000 profit after their property sold for $1.44 million.
And apparently one season wasn’t enough. The duo returned for The Block All Stars in 2013, where they once again tackled a major renovation — this time finishing in third place. Their home sold for $1.575 million, giving them another $220,000 profit. Not a bad side hustle.
How did Dan become The Block‘s foreman?
Dan’s Block story didn’t end when he handed back his contestant tools. After competing on the show, he returned in a very different role, working alongside long-time foreman Keith Schleiger.
Dan initially worked as the show’s “foreboy” before eventually stepping into the foreman role himself. When Keith left the show in 2024, Dan became the main man onsite, and Foreman Dan was officially born.
Which means he’s now seen The Block from pretty much every possible angle: contestant, foreboy and foreman.
When did Dan and Dani get married?
After more than eight year together, Dan popped the question to Dani in October 2017. And, naturally, the proposal was announced on the show.
The couple tied the knot in November 2018, marrying at a private estate on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
The pair have continued to work together over the years, including appearing in The Block’s popular Dan vs Dani segments, where they offer their very different takes on the contestants’ rooms.
Do Dan and Dani have children?
Dan and Dani became parents in 2024 when they welcomed their daughter, Billie Vera Reilly. Sadly, the couple lost Billie just 10 days after she was born.
The couple have since been open about their daughter’s life and the profound impact she had on their family, while working to keep her memory alive through Billie’s Besties. The initiative supports the Royal Women’s Hospital’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit in Melbourne, where Billie received care.
The couple have also shared more of Billie’s story through their children’s book, Billie’s Special Day, which features Dan’s journal entries from the 10 days they had with their daughter.
Dan and Dani welcomed son Fletcher
In 2025, Dan and Dani announced they were expecting another baby.
Their son, Fletcher James Reilly, arrived on April 10, 2026.
The couple announced his birth with a sweet message: “Fletcher James Reilly. Our perfect boy.”
Fletcher’s arrival marked a new chapter for the family, with Dan and Dani continuing to honour Billie’s memory while embracing life with their son.
What does Dan Reilly do away from The Block?
Dan is a qualified builder and has spent much of his career working in construction and property.
Dani, meanwhile, has built a career in interior design and property, meaning the couple’s love of renovating has continued well beyond their own Block seasons.
More than a decade after they first appeared on the show, Dan and Dani remain firmly part of The Block world — only these days, Dan is the one telling the contestants to get back to work.
And honestly, we can’t imagine him any other way.