With more than 100,000 Instagram followers, an international modelling past and a string of famous ex-boyfriends, Big Brother contestant Holly is perhaps the most well-known among this year’s crop of “ordinary” housemates.
And her notoriety has already proven controversial among some fans of the franchise, who’ve declared her too famous for a spot on the show and even accused her of being the dreaded “i” word: An influencer.
Holly’s vibe was apparent from the moment she appeared on stage with host Mel Tracina during Sunday’s premiere, waiting to be let into the Big Brother house.
MORE: ‘No roof?’: Fans mock new Big Brother house
While other excited contestants rattled off the usual reality TV clichés about their plans to be themselves and tell it like it is, a poised Holly took her moment with the host to deliver an extended on-air plug about the designer labels she was wearing from head to toe.
“Not Holly responding as if she was this famous influencer attending a red carpet and giving credits to the designer of her clothing,” one viewer noted on X.
Inside the house, Holly regaled her fellow contestants with tales of her high-profile past as a model and, before that, as a soccer player for Australia’s under-18s team.
And in one unintentionally humorous exchange after what appeared to be several drinks, Holly earnestly explained that she’d faced many challenges over the years because of her stunning beauty and her long, flowing locks. In fact, she had cut her hair into a bob purely in an attempt to make people take her more seriously.
If it worked for Posh Spice …
“Holly talking about pretty privilege and being serious …” one viewer tweeted.
“I was so low on Holly when she first came on. But by the end when she got drunk and talked about the importance of her Bob I’ve never been so high,” said another.
Some of Holly’s housemates seem to have taken a shine to her – none more so than 21-year-old aspiring MMA fighter Colin, who appears absolutely smitten and even gave her the shirt off his back as the contestants awaited the delivery of their luggage (his pants went next, and he appears to have stayed in his undies for the remainder of his time so far in the Big Brother house).
Colin might feel a little more intimidated when he learns of Holly’s dating history. In August last year, she went Insta-official with high-end real estate agent and Luxe Listings Sydney reality star Gavin Rubinstein, before they split in April this year.
Long before that, though, she reportedly dated Jamaican sprint champion Usain Bolt. The pair were first linked in 2017 after reportedly meeting at Crown Casino in Melbourne. They split a year later, and Holly’s next boyfriend was an English Premier League footballer whose identity she never revealed publicly.
“He actually called the company I was working for at the time to ask for my details to invite me to Fashion Week,” she said of the mystery man at the time.
Holly’s high-profile past soon caught the eye of Big Brother fans, with one viewer sharing a screenshot of her (private) 103,000-follower-strong Instagram account and expressing their disappointment over her selection: “It was going so well.. At least the rest seem relatively normal so far,” they wrote.
But Holly’s not actually the only housemate this year who already has a sizeable following: Vinnie Brigante, barber and aspiring singer-songwriter, has 155,000 followers on TikTok and has supported country superstar Zach Bryan in concert.
Meanwhile, another Big Brother contestant is also causing controversy this week: The show’s oldest-ever participant, 67-year-old Jane, was voted in by the public during the season’s second episode after wowing viewers with her bubbly personality.
But it was only after she was confirmed as a contestant that those who voted learned another fact about her: She’s an “avid and passionate Donald Trump lover,” information some fans complained they would’ve liked while casting their votes.
