Dowling became a firm favourite the moment he entered the house thanks to his bubbly personality. The Welshman is remembered for coming out as gay to his parents only two weeks before entering the house. He also confessed to his fellow housemates that he "doesn't like vegetables, salad, or anything healthy".
After winning the show, he became a presenter himself and reentered "Big Brother" in 2010 to win the "Ultimate Big Brother" series. In July 2011, Dowling became the new host of "Big Brother" when it moved to Channel 5 before Emma Willis took over.