[Calderyon]

"I was so embarrassed when I was fired from Big Brother...I actually found out from a newspaper"

Brian Dowling will present Sitting on A Fortune on TV3

Brian Dowling has revealed he felt embarrassed by the way he got the boot from Big Brother.

The 35-year-old has bounced back by landing a new prime time quiz show called Sitting On A Fortune on TV3.

But Brian, who is originally from Rathangan, Co Kildare, said finding out he was being unceremoniously dumped from the Channel 5 show through a newspaper taught him some valuable lessons.

Brian revealed: “ I couldn’t do anything for the rest of 2013 because I was still in contract with Big Brother – not that I needed to do anything because the job was so financially rewarding, I was very lucky.

“But I didn’t want to do anything.

"I get offered reality TV all the time – let’s just say I could have been jumping off a diving board in a pair of speedos, I could have been coming down the slopes skiing, I could have been eating crocodile testicles.

“But I was a bit embarrassed because I had been fired and because of the way it happened as I found out when a newspaper rang me.

“It wasn’t really until this year when I was hosting a live online entertainment show I realised I want to do stuff now where I can be myself.”

Brian said the support of his partner Arthur, his family and close friends, including Pippa O’Connor and Tess Daly, helped him to stay positive.

He admitted: “It was a lesson because I had never done a prime time show before and I was clouded in the fact that I had won Big Brother and had been crowned the Ultimate Housemate.

“I was the only Irish person to win and the only gay person to win.

“You kind of buy into all that but the reality is you are easily replaced, no matter what you do in life. No matter how well it rates, no matter how many times its No1 no matter how much publicity you get.

“And the lesson to me was don’t take things for granted – be grateful for every day you have.

“I am lucky I am in a committed relationship, I have great friends and great family who support me. So I didn’t cry about it, there were no tears – I was embarrassed but that was it.”

Of course, the man in charge of Channel Five at the time was former TV3 boss Ben Frow and although Emma Willis who took over from him said Brian was gracious when they spoke, it is clear the clumsy handling by both the station and programme makers Endemol did leave its mark.

Brian added: “I haven’t seen Ben since before it happened. I think he gave a quote to the paper but there was no contact with me at all.

“And – I’m going to have my Jennifer Aniston moment here – I think the way the whole thing was handled was a bit uncool. I think it could have been handled better but you roll with the punches and it makes you a better person.

“I have not looked back and thought, ‘Oh God I wish I was still hosting Big Brother’ because that’s part of the business I am in, you move on and do other stuff.

“I worked constantly before I got Big Brother and I have been working since.

“And now I have got this big entertainment show in Ireland and I am chuffed.”

In fact, TV3’s new boss Jeff Ford always wanted to get Brian on board when he took over.

And Brian’s delighted to have landed such a prestigious prime time slot as the programme is being made by RDF Television, the company behind Tipping Point and Wife Swap, with a view to selling it worldwide.

He said: “I worked with Jeff on Big Brother and he told me he was trying to get the right format for me.

“So he asked me to do a test for Sitting On A Fortune.

“It is being made by an English production company and because it is an original format I’m not taking over the show from anyone. It’s going to be my show with my mark on it.

“It’s Saturday night prime time entertainment so I am in my element.

“To do a prime time Saturday night show is a dream come true and I think I’ll be on just before X Factor so to be in that line-up is pretty cool.”

Brian will have €15,000 to give away every week and he’s looking forward to splashing the cash on deserving punters.

But he still hasn’t given up his dream of hosting a chat show.

Read more: http://www.irishmirror.ie/showbiz/ir...otheri-3618786

[Pete.]

hopefully he sticks to participating in reality tv not presenting it

[Niamh.]

awww poor Brian

[Ramsay]

RUNWAAAY

[zakman440]

Aaw, I'm glad he's moved on. Even though he is a terrible presenter.

[Rob!]

I really want him to do I'm a celebrity

[Tregard]

Wow, that does suck. Really nice to see he's so graceful about it.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by RobInnes

I really want him to do I'm a celebrity

me too, he's best when he can just be himself

[Lostie!]

Originally Posted by RobInnes

I really want him to do I'm a celebrity

"Oh my God, there's a ****ing snake in the Bush Telegraph!"

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by zakman440

Aaw, I'm glad he's moved on. Even though he is a terrible presenter.

Same. Awful presenter but glad he's made peace with it and can move on and inflict his skills to another audience.

[Jake.]

He couldn't present but I'm really glad he hasn't been bitter over it, he's a top bloke really

[Cherie]

Wow what a way to find out, that is harsh and very unprofessional. I wonder if his and Emma's friendship survived it, doubtful.

[Ramsay]

What a dick move

[Rob!]

Crap as Brian was, I prefer him to Rylan.

[mrmattybeck1]

Originally Posted by RobInnes

Crap as Brian was, I prefer him to Rylan.

in my opinion ben frow should have tried him on bots think he would have been much better on that

[michael21]

what tv3

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by michael21

what tv3

It's an Irish Channel

[@bbuk_fans]

Originally Posted by mrmattybeck1

in my opinion ben frow should have tried him on bots think he would have been much better on that

To be honest though, I don't think Brian would have felt comfortable being demoted. Having been the main host and then having to settle for second best? It worked out better for him to leave in my opinion.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by mrmattybeck1

in my opinion ben frow should have tried him on bots think he would have been much better on that

Yeah, shame it didn't happen that way originally, he could have been more free style and himself doing that and that's where his charm is imo

[michael21]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

It's an Irish Channel

oh sorry i feel bad for not knowing that

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by michael21

oh sorry i feel bad for not knowing that

that's alright, you don't get them over there

[mrmattybeck1]

Originally Posted by @bbuk_fans

To be honest though, I don't think Brian would have felt comfortable being demoted. Having been the main host and then having to settle for second best? It worked out better for him to leave in my opinion.

yeah agree also jeff ford nearly destroyed bb in my opinion ben frow kind of saved it hes worked on the show in the past as well

[Natalie.]

Aw I hope he's on I'm a celeb soon

[Me. I Am Salman]

It's sad but it had to happen, he just wasn't cut out for it. Brian would've been great on BOTS, God knows what was going through these producers' heads when they decided to make Emma the host and put Brian on the main show

[@bbuk_fans]

I do think though, (I think its been said before) that the timing was right for Emma to move up from bots. I think, had Emma been given main show gig in 2011, she would have dropped BB by now to go to the BBC, ITV etc. I know she's a massive fan of the show, but in terms of her career, I think she would have moved on. Likewise if she had stayed just on BOTS and Brian had stayed as host of the main show.