Brian Dowling

Brian Dowling

Brian Patrick Robert Dowling (born 13 June 1978) is an Irish television presenter who rose to fame after being crowned the winner of the second series of UK reality television show Big Brother in 2001. He also won Ultimate Big Brother in 2010, making him the ultimate Big Brother housemate. In 2007, he came third in Hell's Kitchen and in 2008 he was runner-up in the Irish reality television series Fáilte Towers. Dowling guest-presented Live from Studio Five alongside Kate Walsh from 2010 until its cancellation in February 2011.

On 21 July 2011, it was confirmed that Dowling would be becoming the new host of Big Brother upon its transfer to Channel 5, replacing Davina McCall. He has so far presented the twelfth series and thirteenth series of the original shows and three series of the celebrity editions. On 3 April 2012, Channel 5 confirmed that they had renewed Big Brother until the end of 2014, with the contract consisting of two celebrity series and one regular series a year. There will be a celebrity series in January and then again after the regular summer series.

Dowling became the first ever openly gay children's TV presenter in the United Kingdom when he began presenting SMTV Live in 2002.