Big Brother star Glyn Wise plans to be priest

Former Big Brother star Glyn Wise has swapped reality TV for the church.

The 34-year-old from Blaenau Ffestiniog is preparing to be a priest after being accepted to train for the ordained ministry with the Church in Wales.

He was runner-up on Big Brother 7 in 2006, and has worked in the media and been to college since.

He has also been a Plaid Cymru candidate in Cardiff and worked as a teacher in Gwynedd.

Mr Wise, who is currently living in London, said he has been a Christian since going to Sunday school as a child and attending the Christian Union at university.

He claimed moving to China had a big impact, saying: "When I was in Asia, particularly South Korea, I saw that Christianity was growing at a massive scale and whilst I was there I went to church and felt every sermon was basically speaking directly to me.

"I wanted to bring the good word back to the UK, well Wales and the Church in Wales, and now I've been fortunate enough to be accepted to go into the ordained ministry - it was a dream come true."

He added he always had a bucket list of things he wanted to accomplish and always wanted to do something with Christianity and grow his faith.

"I've always helped out in church, done readings and done volunteer works, but I thought now is the time.

"Jesus Christ was 33 when he got crucified, and we're the same age so let's go for it," he said.

Mr Wise said his faith helped him in the Big Brother house when he was a teenager, and he felt it would continue to help in his chosen path.

"Funnily enough, I used to pray to God to help me to get into Big Brother, and when I was in the house I used to pray under the covers, because I felt like being a Christian wasn't cool.

"I would pray for him to look after me whilst I was in there, and I feel being on the programme, you get used to social media, you are used to people talking back to you and not being kind, and going into religion; there is a marmite attitude towards religion, so it has helped me with that.

"In Big Brother you were being looked at 24/7, and when you're a priest people will be looking at you to make sure you don't fall from grace, so I think I have learned from that," he said.

Mr Wise said being on Big Brother, presenting with BBC Radio Cymru, modelling, being a teacher and going into politics have led him to where he is now.

"It is like a jigsaw puzzle - it's all coming together," he said.

"The goal and the ambition is to become Father Glyn, and start my own church."

A spokesperson for the Church in Wales said: "Being accepted to train as a minister is a huge and exciting step in anyone's life and we are delighted to welcome all our new ordinands who have made that commitment.

"Over the next few years they will be trained and supported by St Padarn's Institute so that they will be able to serve God and the community and live out what is a very full and rewarding vocation."