Gay ‘The Block’ Contestant Mat Johnson Confirms He’s Expecting First Child
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Openly gay The Block contestant Mat Johnson has announced he will soon welcome a baby boy with a close friend, marking a joyful milestone for the Adelaide hairdresser.
Mat, 41, revealed that he and his long-time friend Leah Cocks are expecting a baby boy due at the end of the year.
“Something beautiful’s been growing — and it’s finally time to share it,” Johnson posted on Instagram.
“I have always wanted to be a dad, especially in this later part of my life,” he told New Idea.
Leah, who has been in a same-sex relationship, first approached Mat with the idea of co-parenting. At the time, he said no — but that changed over time. The pair then embarked on the IVF route, and after seven years of perseverance, Leah discovered she was pregnant while Mat was filming The Block in Daylesford.
“I wouldn’t have done it with just anyone. It’s only because it’s her,” said Johnson.
The due date is set for 18 December.
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LGBTQIA+ representation the 2025 season of The Block
This season of The Block has drawn attention for its strong commitment to diversity and LGBTQIA+ visibility.
The premiere episode, filmed in the Victorian town of Daylesford — known as the home of the annual ChillOut Festival, Australia’s largest and longest-running rural queer event — set the tone early for a more inclusive series. The choice of location was a deliberate nod to the town’s proud LGBTQIA+ community and its reputation as a safe haven for queer people.
In that opening episode, contestant Can delivered one of the season’s most emotional moments, sharing her coming-out story on national television. “For a lot of my teenage years I felt a lot of shame and insecurity around my sexuality,” she said, before reflecting on how far she had come to live authentically. The candid discussion struck a chord with viewers.
Producers have also signalled that this season’s casting intentionally aimed to better reflect modern Australian families, with a mix of LGBTQIA+, single-parent, and blended households represented among the teams.
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