90 Day Fiancé star Ed “Big Ed” Brown explained how appearing on the TLC franchise gave him “confidence” despite his failed relationships.

“The show gave me a lot of optimism and hope and confidence,” Ed, 59, told The Mirror in an interview published on Wednesday, January 1. “Never being on camera before, I’ve always hated having my picture taken, I’ve always been mildly overweight so I’m very self-conscious of my body.”

Ed – who first appeared on season 4 of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days with ex Rose Vega – added, “The show really gave me confidence that you have to be comfortable with who you are in your own skin and once you’re able to do that, it doesn’t matter whether you’re tall or short or thin or heavy, as long as you’re comfortable with who you are, that confidence exudes far beyond you can ever imagine.”

Following his split from Rose, 29, Ed went on to pursue love by appearing on season 1 of 90 Day: The Single Life. He eventually met Elizabeth “Liz” Woods during season 2 of the show, and the pair went on to have a tumultuous romance before they eventually called off their engagement during an April 2024 episode of 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?

While Ed has starred in several spinoffs of the franchise, he exclusively revealed to In Touch that his time on TLC may be coming to an end during a November 2024 interview. “I’m up for grabs in December,” he said about the status of his contract at the time.

While he said he “had too much fun in the last five years” while starring on the shows, he added that the experience has helped him “in every facet of [his] life except for relationships.”

“So I eventually want to pull away where I can really have a serious relationship that’s not on TV,” he added.

Ed went on to reflect on how his life has changed since he made his reality TV debut in 2020. “I had 350 followers on Instagram. Nobody knew who I was, but the next morning I had over a quarter of a million and my phone wouldn’t stop ringing,” he shared. “So, it was literally overnight.”

“I became the number one trending [star]. I became the number one streaming meme in the world for four weeks. I’m known in every single country throughout the world, which kind of freaks me out,” the TV personality continued. “It’s really crazy. I was just in Argentina, I was in Brazil, and as many people that know me in the states knew me there.”

Meanwhile, Ed also shared an update about his love life following his brief engagement to Porscha Raemond in September 2024.

“So right now I’m dating, nothing serious. I’m back home,” he told In Touch while attending the 11th Annual American Reality Television Awards. “I’m pursuing my career in real estate and my wine company. So, I have a lot on my plate right now. I’m open to a relationship always, but just taking it slow, not in a big hurry.”