In a bombshell exclusive interview with New Idea following her dramatic eviction from the Big Brother house on November 30, fan-favorite contestant Holly is finally setting the record straight. The 31-year-old model has been at the center of swirling speculation about her steamy connection with fellow housemate Colin, 21, with both fans and co-stars questioning if it was real love or just a savvy game move. But Holly isn’t holding back—she’s spilling the tea on their undeniable chemistry, the harsh backlash, and why she’s counting down the days to reunite with him outside those infamous walls.
“I can’t wait to see him!” Holly gushed, her excitement palpable. “I have the livestream, so I can tune in at any moment and see what he’s up to in there. He’s an exceptional human being, and I’m very grateful I was able to connect with him right from the very beginning of the season. He brought so much positivity and had my back so hard through the whole experience—that’s something to be admired. His mother raised such a great boy; she should be very proud.”
From the moment Holly and Colin locked eyes in the house, sparks flew. But their budding romance faced relentless scrutiny. Housemates whispered about it being a “showmance” designed to secure votes, and viewers flooded social media with doubts. Holly admits the constant questioning was tough, but it only made their bond stronger. “If anything, it ended up bringing us closer together because we had to defend everything and every decision we made,” she explained. “In the real world, people wouldn’t have to do that. If we were walking down the street, nobody would bat an eyelid; we’d be fine. There’s a lot of Karen mentality in the house and not a lot of compassion.” Ouch—Holly didn’t mince words about feeling unfairly judged in that pressure-cooker environment.
.
And what about those “game player” accusations? Holly shut them down hard. “I did not come in with a tactic or a game plan at all! I think that’s pretty obvious to everyone,” she insisted. “I’m very unapologetically me, and I just wanted to come in and be the big sister and be there for people, but they didn’t want that. Anything I said was used against me, and I’m not perfect. I do say words the wrong way from time to time, especially when you’re under that pressure and stress 24/7.”
Their connection wasn’t just surface-level flirtation—it ran deep. Holly revealed how they bonded over shared experiences, particularly the stigma surrounding learning disabilities. “When you’re in such a high-pressure situation, and you find someone that you click with like that, it means a lot,” she shared. Before her eviction, the pair addressed the house, explaining they weren’t rushing to slap labels on things. Colin opened up vulnerably: “For me, it’s just like a thing where it’s no labels. But I will say that until I met [Holly], when I looked at my confidence and myself, I didn’t really see much in myself… Through talking with Holly, I’ve come to understand we have a lot of similarities.”
Holly echoed his sentiments, admitting she never saw it coming. “I was not expecting when I walked through the doors to meet this individual, at all,” she confessed. “Something I respect about him is his individuality, and the fact of the matter is not to judge a book by its cover. I did not know on the first night that I was going to sit down and have such a deep and meaningful conversation with him about something that our brains [connected] over.” She urged her housemates to show more compassion: “I would love us all to show a little bit more compassion and love together in this house because it would go a long way.” Fellow contestants Bruce and Alanna nodded along, admitting the insight helped them see the pair in a new light.
Of course, not everyone was convinced. Evicted housemate Michael dropped a parting bombshell in his exit video: “Holly, well done for your fake relationship with Colin. We all know that relationship will not last until halfway down the eviction runway. I do think you played the game. I don’t think you’re into Colin at all.” The jab hit hard—Colin broke down in the diary room, sobbing, “I can’t even comprehend why she’d like me… If something’s too good to be true, it usually is, right? I can’t think of any girl off the top of my head that would run to me. Why would it be her? Why would it be the model? Why would it be the most beautiful girl that I’ve seen in my life?”
Michael doubled down in his own exclusive chat with New Idea: “A connection? No! She’s the puppet master in that sense. She’s just using that showmance to further herself in the house… Anyone can see that [it’s a game plan]; he needs a few more 00s on his bank balance to bag a girl like Holly.” Adding fuel to the fire, Colin even confronted Holly about his insecurities, especially when she accidentally called him by housemate Connor’s name—a slip-up that happened more than once.
The drama peaked with their first kiss, shared under a blanket after Holly’s nomination for eviction. “Damn, 21-year-olds really know how to kiss these days,” Holly teased Colin, leaving him beaming in the diary room. But the moment divided fans: Some cheered, “Let them be happy!” while others warned, “She’s playing you Colin,” or “Bros about to get his heart broke.” Speculation ramped up that Holly was using the romance to dodge eviction—especially since she survived that round, with Michael getting the boot instead.
In the diary room, Holly affirmed her feelings were real: “He’s my dawg. I don’t know, we connect on a level, I enjoy my time with him… Yeah, it’s romantic. I love romance. I feel like I’d be a cold-hearted human if I didn’t say it was; it’s romantic for sure.”
Outside the house, Holly’s life is just as intriguing. She’s besties with Married At First Sight bride Carina Mirabile and has rubbed shoulders with celebs. Last year, she reportedly had a whirlwind fling with Luxe Listings Sydney star Gavin Rubinstein, which fizzled after an “intense” holiday. And back in 2017, she was briefly linked to Olympic legend Usain Bolt after a chance meeting at Crown Melbourne.
With Holly now free from the Big Brother bubble, all eyes are on whether her connection with Colin will thrive in the real world. One thing’s for sure—this isn’t the last we’ll hear from this dynamic duo!