Kenny Brain (born August 26, 1988) is a Canadian television personality, best known as cohost with Kortney Wilson of the HGTV Canada home renovation series Making it Home with Kortney and Kenny . [1] The series is no longer in production, with the duo slated to launch a new series, Life Is Messy, in 2025. [2]
Originally from Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador, Brain worked as a model before competing in the second season of Big Brother Canada in 2014. [3] Although openly gay in real life and honest about his sexuality in viewer confessionals, he initially pursued a strategy of remaining closeted among his housemates; [4] although he did come out to housemate Sarah Miller a few weeks into the season, his strategy sparked some viewer and media debate about whether his choice was sending a message to viewers that being gay could be seen as a shameful secret. [5] He and Miller were both voted out of the Big Brother house on Day 43. [6] He has also since stated that his decision to stay in the closet at first, and come out as gay once the season was underway, helped to spark a valuable conversation about homophobia and the differing standards to which gay and straight people are held. [7]
After appearing on Big Brother Canada, Brain quit modelling and trained as a construction contractor, later launching his own contracting business in Vancouver, British Columbia. [1] Following Wilson's divorce from her former husband and business partner Dave Wilson, Brain debuted as the new cohost of Making it Home in the show's second season in 2021. [8] He has stated that one of his goals as a home renovation host is to provide a positive role model for LGBTQ representation and inclusion in construction trades. [1]