Big Brother limelight for ex-Bay girl

Aisha McKinnon went to Tauranga Girls' College before her first move to Australia at age 18, and settling there since 2013. Photo / Big Brother Australia Facebook

Former Tauranga woman Aisha McKinnon is in the limelight this week after a surprising arrival on reality TV show Big Brother Australia.

The 2014 season launched five days ago with 12 housemates introduced and buddied in pairs.

Miss McKinnon was one of four new contestants thrown into the mix of personalities on day two.

Her arrival pulled in 3167 likes on the Big Brother Australia Facebook page and nearly 300 comments.

Miss McKinnon went to Tauranga Girls' College before her first move to Australia at age 18, and settling there since 2013.

Now 22, Miss McKinnon was labelled a "laidback lass with loads of sass" by the show.

Introducing herself in a Nine Network video, Miss McKinnon said she worked as an assistant manager in retail by day and ran the door of one of Sydney's biggest nightclubs by night.

"I do tend to attract the rugby league boys. I'm working on not attracting them anymore, so we'll see how that goes," she said.

"I don't know if there will be someone in the house for me, but I'm hoping there's some eye candy in there.

"I can't please everybody and I'm not gonna be everybody's cup of tea and that's ok."

Miss McKinnon was partnered with 23-year-old Lawson Reeves, an electrical apprentice by trade and a recreational magician.

Show rules meant contestants were not allowed to be contacted while they were in the house.

Big Brother

*Originally a Dutch series, Big Brother puts a group of contestants in a custom-built house together.
*Contestants are isolated from the outside world and constantly under video surveillance.
*They are given tasks by "Big Brother" that put them in challenging or stressful situations, provoking reality drama.
*Contestants vote for housemates they want evicted until a winner remains at the end of the series.