We’re only a few episodes into this year’s season of and one contestant has already made quite the impression on viewers. Ricky, a 34-year-old plumber from Melbourne, quickly became a fan favourite on the renovation reality show after he shared his heartwarming backstory in episode one. The loveable larrikin told viewers that he was raised in a troubled household and “hasn’t really had a family for about 16 years”, which is why he values his friendship with his best friend and teammate Haydn so much.
He also shared that he wanted to go on so he could be “half responsible” for helping Haydn build a life for his newborn baby - whose birth was announced in . Fans have taken to social media this week to praise the tradie for his honesty, positive attitude and cheeky sense of humour, with one person commenting on Instagram: “My current crush is Ricky.” “How cute was Ricky,” another added, while a third said, “Love both these genuine guys and I want to adopt Ricky”.
“Got a soft spot for Ricky after hearing his backstory,” someone else shared, followed by a different user who said, “I love Ricky and Haydn. They actually just give off such good vibes”. “Okay I’m calling it early but these boys might be my favourite,” another declared.
Speaking with about the flood of comments he’s received online, Ricky admits he’s grateful for the positive reaction but doesn’t consider himself notable enough to be anybody’s “celebrity crush”. “I don’t know if I consider myself a celebrity, seriously,” he laughs. “I think as a celebrity, you’ve got to have a fair resume, right? Like Shelley [Craft], she's got the list - for years, , .
“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.
” Ricky spoke candidly about his admiration for Shelley Craft on this week and revealed that she was his “celebrity crush” growing up thanks to her appearance on . The plumber admits to he was starstruck when he first met the TV personality during filming and was thrilled to discover that she’s a “fantastic person” in real life. “She's so lovely,” he gushes.
“That was probably a bit of a moment for me. I was like, wow, I’m actually rubber shoulders and I'm actually talking to her. It was a bit of a moment, for sure.
”.
