The first gay winner of Big Brother Australia proposed to his boyfriend live on national television, after winning the 2012 series on Wednesday night.

Read our full report on the Big Brother 2012 final

Flying high ... Ben celebrates after winning Big Brother.

Benjamin Norris, the 32-year-old from Victoria who won $250,000, was clearly making a public stand for gay marriage (and a very public declaration of love) when he produced a diamond ring for his partner, also named Ben. The pair hugged emotionally, before Ben added "I almost forgot to say the words ... Will you marry me?"

"This is the diamond my great-grandfather bought for my great-grandmother and it was there on my parents' wedding day," he said.