Beauty and the Geek star Zac Klavs is home in the Bay after a whirlwind year juggling filming in Fiji and studying for a law degree.
The show, up to episode 5 this week in New Zealand, "takes socially awkward guys and stupid girls" where they are "meant to learn from each other".
So called geeks are paired up with beauties and have to compete in challenges in order to win a grand prize of A$100,000 ($106,000).
Former Otumoetai College student Mr Klavs sent in his application for the reality TV show as a joke.
"You know how everybody has one really good drinking story, this is my one. Some mates and I had just finished our first law paper, so we all decided to go into town and have a few drinks. At three in the morning we ended up getting pizza at this place and there was a TV in the corner playing random shows and an advert advertising for applicants for the show came on.