Brian Dowling
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- For the American football player, see Brian Dowling (football).
Brian Dowling (born 13th June 1978) was the winner of the second series of the British reality TV show Big Brother in 2001 and has since gone on to become a television presenter.
[edit] Career
Before he became famous, Dowling, from Rathangan, County Kildare, Ireland, trained as a holiday rep and air steward. He came out to his parents only two weeks before appearing on Big Brother.
Brian went on to present SMTV Live, becoming the first openly gay children's television presenter. He also went on to present his own show on ITV, Brian's Boyfriends, as well as narrating the Channel 4 reality show The Salon.
In 2002, Brian co-hosted the prestigious Elle Style Awards with Radio 1 presenter Jo Whiley. His impact on the world of fashion didn't end there, when he was snapped up by the team behind the popular Clothes Show Live in 2003 to join Duncan James and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson in presenting the Now Magazine Style Awards feature of the annual event, where he won the award from Most Stylish UK TV Personality.
Also in 2003, Brian was given the honour of being the host for the first ever First Light Film Awards in London.
Brian regularly stands in for Liz Bonnin on LivingTV's Celebrity Extra show. He has also voiced numerous adverts and TV series Trolley Dollies, and has presented the companion show to I'm Famous and Frightened!. In 2005, he had a short role in a new spinoff drama from Footballers' Wives.
Brian was also voted the number 1 UK Big Brother housemate in the first five years of the show, in an official vote conducted by Channel 4. The countdown was broadcast on E4 and Channel 4 in May 2005.
In July 2005, Brian fronted the Party in the Park concert in Leeds with Coronation Street's Nikki Sanderson. He then went on to front the Irish O2 in the Park concert, in Phoenix Park, Dublin, alongside Fran Cosgrave and Caroline Morahan in August 2005.
Currently, Brian is hosting a showbiz slot on Vernon Kay's BBC Radio 1 Saturday morning show.
Brian was chosen in September 2005 to represent SMTV Live, which he co-hosted from January 2002 to July 2003, in ITV's 50th Anniversary celebrations on a special edition of Saturday morning children's entertainment show, Ministry of Mayhem.
In October 2005, Brian presented a series of special Christmas features as part of Sky Digital's Interactive platform programming, titled Christmas Wrapped Up, in which Dowling reviewed and helped to promote products that were available for purchase in the shopping areas of Sky Digital's Sky Active service.
Brian presented the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards 2005, with CD:UK presenter Myleene Klass in November 2005.
Brian was reintroduced as a presenter on ITV in April 2006 when the network launched its ITV Play subsidiary. Along with six others, Brian was signed up as a presenter of the network's interactive telephone show, The Mint.
Since presenting The Mint Brian has become very good friends with co-presenter Kat Shoob and is often seen out with her.
| Preceded by Craig Phillips |
Big Brother (UK) winner Series 2 (2001) |
Succeeded by Kate Lawler |
