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| 'I'm appearing on my eighth reality TV show' | |
| (7 days later) | |
| Tomasz Wisniewski has had a break from reality TV for more than 10 years | Tomasz Wisniewski has had a break from reality TV for more than 10 years |
| "The reason I started applying for TV shows was down to my dad - he was inspiring me all of the time." | "The reason I started applying for TV shows was down to my dad - he was inspiring me all of the time." |
| Tomasz Wisniewski's father was his idol, a lover of all things entertainment, he was a professional dancer from Poland and told his son to "live life to the fullest". | Tomasz Wisniewski's father was his idol, a lover of all things entertainment, he was a professional dancer from Poland and told his son to "live life to the fullest". |
| Before Tomasz took up his current role as a firefighter in Nottingham, he appeared on several reality TV shows. | Before Tomasz took up his current role as a firefighter in Nottingham, he appeared on several reality TV shows. |
| He decided to step away because he "did not want this any more", in part due to the death of his parents while living in the UK. | |
| Tomasz (fourth from the left) will compete and work alongside 11 others in the Malaysian jungle with basic survival gear while trying to resist temptations along the way | Tomasz (fourth from the left) will compete and work alongside 11 others in the Malaysian jungle with basic survival gear while trying to resist temptations along the way |
| But after 10 years away, he has temporarily swapped the heat of his day job for the scorching temperatures of the Malaysian rainforest in Channel 4's Tempting Fortune. | But after 10 years away, he has temporarily swapped the heat of his day job for the scorching temperatures of the Malaysian rainforest in Channel 4's Tempting Fortune. |
| Born in Wadowice, Poland, Tomasz came over to the UK aged 20 in 2005 and "didn't speak a word of English". | Born in Wadowice, Poland, Tomasz came over to the UK aged 20 in 2005 and "didn't speak a word of English". |
| He came to Nottingham with his father, who he worked alongside in Turkey as a performer in hotels. | He came to Nottingham with his father, who he worked alongside in Turkey as a performer in hotels. |
| The plan was to stay for three months but that soon changed. | The plan was to stay for three months but that soon changed. |
| He said he always wanted to live in the UK due to his "love of the Spice Girls" as a child. | He said he always wanted to live in the UK due to his "love of the Spice Girls" as a child. |
| "I fell in love with the UK when I got here and I decided to stay - it's the best thing that ever happened in my life," he said. | |
| "This country has given me so many amazing opportunities, I am so grateful to everyone here." | "This country has given me so many amazing opportunities, I am so grateful to everyone here." |
| After working various jobs, he learned the language and "immersed himself" in the culture - including the country's love of reality TV. | After working various jobs, he learned the language and "immersed himself" in the culture - including the country's love of reality TV. |
| Tomasz, now 40, said he "doesn't take himself too seriously" and applied for a variety of shows. | Tomasz, now 40, said he "doesn't take himself too seriously" and applied for a variety of shows. |
| His larger-than-life personality and hairstyle caught the eye of producers. | His larger-than-life personality and hairstyle caught the eye of producers. |
| Tomasz worked as a prison officer and now as a firefighter after walking away from TV | |
| His resume includes Channel 4's Come Dine With Me, Total Wipeout, to which Tomazs eagerly points out he won, as well as a stint on BBC shows So You Think You Can Dance and Snog, Marry Avoid? | |
| His first appearance was on So You Think You Can Dance, and it became quite clear he was "not talented" and was the show's "joke". | |
| "It's funny looking back now... I honestly thought I could actually dance," he said. | "It's funny looking back now... I honestly thought I could actually dance," he said. |
| "The reason I actually started applying for TV shows was down to my dad - he was inspiring me all of the time. | "The reason I actually started applying for TV shows was down to my dad - he was inspiring me all of the time. |
| "He told me I would work in the entertainment industry and I would have so much to offer to other people - he told me to live life to the fullest. | "He told me I would work in the entertainment industry and I would have so much to offer to other people - he told me to live life to the fullest. |
| "Do what you enjoy in life, I just threw myself into everything because life is too short to be boring. You don't know what is behind the next door." | "Do what you enjoy in life, I just threw myself into everything because life is too short to be boring. You don't know what is behind the next door." |
| In 2012, Tomasz appeared on Snog, Marry, Avoid? | |
| Tomazs said this outlook on life came from his father and mother passing away from cancer before they both reached the age of 60. | Tomazs said this outlook on life came from his father and mother passing away from cancer before they both reached the age of 60. |
| He described them as his "best friends". | He described them as his "best friends". |
| "If I have 10 years left of being crazy then I will take it," he added. | "If I have 10 years left of being crazy then I will take it," he added. |
| Tomazs spent five years in London working in the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square but felt he "needed something more from life" and left TV behind him. | Tomazs spent five years in London working in the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square but felt he "needed something more from life" and left TV behind him. |
| That career switch took him away from the glitz and the glamour of casino high rollers to HMP Pentonville in north London. | |
| He worked as a prison officer before he moved back to Nottingham to care for his father after he had been diagnosed with cancer. | He worked as a prison officer before he moved back to Nottingham to care for his father after he had been diagnosed with cancer. |
| With his caring duties, he transferred to HMP Nottingham in 2017. | With his caring duties, he transferred to HMP Nottingham in 2017. |
| "I loved it there, it was an incredible job. I felt I could really help people," he said. | "I loved it there, it was an incredible job. I felt I could really help people," he said. |
| He then joined Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service as a firefighter in 2019. | He then joined Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service as a firefighter in 2019. |
| On his decade-long break from TV, he said: "Losing my parents was a massive factor in my life at that point. | On his decade-long break from TV, he said: "Losing my parents was a massive factor in my life at that point. |
| "I needed to focus on something else, it was a breakdown for me, I needed to withdraw from this happy world." | "I needed to focus on something else, it was a breakdown for me, I needed to withdraw from this happy world." |
| Tomasz, who is still with the fire service in a job he "absolutely loves", was contacted by a friend in London to apply for the reality TV show. | Tomasz, who is still with the fire service in a job he "absolutely loves", was contacted by a friend in London to apply for the reality TV show. |
| Tempting Fortune consists of 12 strangers spending three weeks in "paradise". | Tempting Fortune consists of 12 strangers spending three weeks in "paradise". |
| They will arrive with basic survival gear and in order to win the prize, they will have to resist the temptation to spend any of the prize money. | |
| Tomasz said his friend persuaded him to apply for the show | Tomasz said his friend persuaded him to apply for the show |
| "I was quite happy not to do anything like that again and I wouldn't have applied but my best friend said the show was made for me," he said. | "I was quite happy not to do anything like that again and I wouldn't have applied but my best friend said the show was made for me," he said. |
| After making it through several auditions, Tomasz touched down in the Malaysian jungle alongside his fellow contestants. | After making it through several auditions, Tomasz touched down in the Malaysian jungle alongside his fellow contestants. |
| He described the show as a "holiday" to start with but that quickly changed. | He described the show as a "holiday" to start with but that quickly changed. |
| "The pressure does get intense and when there's big personalities - I include myself in that - it really ramps up," he said. | |
| "It was brutal, it was extreme but it was such good fun. I couldn't get the fire going which was ironic with me being a firefighter." | "It was brutal, it was extreme but it was such good fun. I couldn't get the fire going which was ironic with me being a firefighter." |
| The first episode of the new series of Tempting Fortune was broadcast at 21:00 GMT on Sunday. | The first episode of the new series of Tempting Fortune was broadcast at 21:00 GMT on Sunday. |
| Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. | Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. |
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