REALITY STAR POWER

How Irish contestants became telly sensations

- LARISSA NOLAN

IT ALL started with a skateboarding, lesbian-ex nun from Dublin's Rialto.

That was 25 years ago - and now Anna Nolan will always be known as the first Irish reality TV star.

Plenty have followed in her footsteps since notably, our most famous and successful reality show contestant, Maura Higgins.

Maura, from Ballymahon, Co Longford, has had stellar success, and is estimated to be worth nearly €4million. Her commercial partnerships, modelling work and TV presenter work have been extremely lucrative.

The 34-year-old is now hoping to break America after being cast in the celebrity version of The Traitors USA.

Now, Irish eyes are again on two homegrown contestants being tipped for the top in the latest Love Island.

Megan Forte Clarke, 24, originally from Dublin, says she is flattered that fans of the show are comparing her to Maura, while Limerick rugby player Conor Phillips says he is looking for someone who is “up for the craic.”

As they get ready to find love in the villa, we take a look back at Ireland's reality TV hall of fame...

ANNA NOLAN

It was the first-ever UK Big Brother and so nobody knew what to expect of this social experiment.

Housemates like Anna, who was 29, didn't even know if anyone was watching but it was a huge success and a landmark moment for the genre. Describing herself as a “lesbian ex-nun”, Anna came close to victory, finishing second to Craig Phillips.

She said afterwards that while the effects of being on reality TV can be tough, ultimately the show changed her life for the better and she would always be grateful.