Big Brother’s Holly Young has lifted the lid on her whirlwind TV romance with Colin Ridley after becoming one of the final housemates evicted during Sunday night’s finale.
The WA model, who was one of the most talked-about contestants of the season, was booted from the game shortly after yet another tense ‘family meeting’ in which housemates confronted the pair over their constant displays of affection.
The awkward scene showed the entire group sitting in a circle while airing their frustrations directly at the couple.
Holly was visibly unimpressed at the intervention, later fuming that she was surrounded by ‘Karens.’
Speaking to Daily Mail following her eviction, the 31-year-old admitted the experience was far more intense than she ever imagined.
‘It was super intense. So many strong personalities all living under one roof. I learned so much about myself because it pushes you to grow so quickly,’ she said.
Big Brother’s Holly Young has lifted the lid on her whirlwind TV romance with Colin Ridley after becoming one of the final housemates evicted during Sunday night’s finale
The WA model, who was one of the most talked-about contestants of the season, was booted from the game shortly after yet another tense ‘family meeting’ in which housemates confronted the pair over their constant displays of affection
But the storyline that dominated her Big Brother journey was her connection with MMA hopeful Colin, which began on the very first night.
‘He is such an incredible human. The light he shines is something I have not experienced in a really long time,’ Holly revealed.
‘When he came up and shook my hand on the first night, we clicked straight away. I was not looking for any kind of connection in the house, but sometimes you cannot help it.’
Holly said the pair bonded early and stayed close in a way that became impossible for other housemates to ignore.
‘We noticed things in each other very quickly and that sped up the process. Honestly, without him I feel like they would have eaten me alive. We had each other’s backs from day one.’
However, that closeness made them the season’s hottest topic. According to Holly, their romance became a 24-hour talking point both inside the house and on the live stream.
‘From the moment we opened our eyes to when we went to sleep, everyone wanted to talk about us. If we were in the room or not, it did not matter. It was a constant narrative and we had to defend ourselves so much,’ she said.
‘It was bizarre because in the real world, if we were walking around Westfield or sitting in a cinema, no one would care. But in the house, it was like we were the only storyline.’
Speaking to Daily Mail following her eviction, the 31-year-old admitted the experience was far more intense than she ever imagined
Holly believes the intense scrutiny came from a mix of jealousy and frustration among her castmates.
‘No one else clicked like we did. I think it was hard for them to comprehend. Maybe a bit of tall poppy syndrome. Maybe wondering why they had not bonded with anyone else. Sometimes people do not want to see others happy. That is life, even outside the Big Brother house.’
Despite the drama, Holly insisted the connection was real, not a showmance or a strategic move.
‘Absolutely not. There was no briefing, no suggestion from producers. They were so professional. None of us knew who anybody was when we walked in. It was just twelve completely different personalities thrown together.’
And yes, the romance is set to continue now that the cameras are off.
‘We have a plan. We are excited and just want things to grow naturally. We are looking forward to spending proper one-on-one time without 21,000 people watching us on a live stream,’ she laughed.
‘We cannot wait to binge watch the season together. We will probably just laugh at everything because when you are in there, little things become big things.’
As for the now-infamous secret lipstick note she slipped to Colin before leaving the house, Holly kept quiet.
‘It is a secret note for a reason. It was something for him during the tough times. Just a bit of HY love. I am just impressed I managed to do it because it is so hard to keep anything private in there.’
Reflecting on her time in the house, Holly admitted her confidence may have rubbed some people the wrong way.
‘Confidence can definitely intimidate people, but I will never know for sure. People said a lot of things. I am okay with that.’
While she may not have won the grand prize, Holly is walking away with something far more surprising: a relationship she never expected to find.
