A New Zealand-born contestant of the first series of Big Brother Australia, Gordon Sloan, has died in Beijing on a suspected heroin overdose.

From the Herald Sun:

According to a source close to Sloan, the former reality star's parents had travelled from their home in New Zealand after their son was admitted to hospital in a coma on September 1.

It is understood the devastated couple opted to turn off the life support that had been keeping their 34-year-old son alive.

While the exact cause of death is yet to be determined, sources said Sloan was believed to have overdosed on heroin.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed a New Zealand-born Australian citizen from Victoria died in Beijing yesterday.

Ben Williams, who won the series in which Sloan featured, described his mate's death as "an absolute tragedy".

"He was a very colourful person and definitely lived life to the max," he said. "It's an absolute tragedy."

Big Brother circles were told about Sloan's hospitalisation on Wednesday, but Williams said his death was "still a terrible shock".

And here's Gordon Sloan in action on Big Brother Australia in 2001: