'Pinch me moment:' Brian Dowling prepares for baby shower this weekend 

Brian Dowling and Arthur Gourounlian are preparing for their baby shower with Brian's sister Aoife Picture: @bprdowling / Instagram

Brian Dowling has revealed preparations are underway for his baby shower this weekend.

The Irish reality TV star revealed earlier this summer that he and partner Arthur Gourounlian are expecting a child later this year — with his younger sister Aoife acting as a surrogate.

The former Big Brother winner said it is a real "pinch me moment", revealing at certain points in his life he wondered "would it ever happen, would I ever become a parent."

Praising his "incredible" sister, he said "all of this is possible" because of her.

Arthur Gourounlian and Brian Dowling with Brian's sister Aoife Dowling

"Bring on Saturday as we can’t wait to CELEBRATE with all our friends & family," he said, adding a joking warning to The Six O'Clock Show viewers. 

"I have had a spray tan and won’t be washing it off till later this evening so I may change colour during the show."

The 44-year-old previously opened up about the homophobic abuse he has received since announcing he is expecting a child via surrogacy with Gourounlian, best-known as one of the judges on Dancing with the Stars.

Speaking to Zoe Hardman on the Made by Mammas podcast, he said there are people out there "that can't abide" the fact that two men who chose to be gay are having a child via surrogate. 

“On the day that we chose to be gay, we give up the right to be parents… But you know, that is based on pure homophobia, that's all that is.”