The real deal? Ed Brown, better known as “Big Ed,” insists 90 Day Fiancé is “not scripted” after his awkward scenes with his girlfriend, Rosemarie “Rose” Vega, stirred up quite a bit of controversy. The TV personality says fans get to watch the drama play out as it actually happens, whether that puts him in a good light or not.

“Like, everything I did is just who I am,” Ed, 54, reveals to host Stephen Kramer Glickman on a new episode of “The Night Time Show” podcast, which released on Saturday, May 9. “And I’m not very bright and I don’t always say the right things,” the reality star added.

Ed, 54, and Rose, 23, first connected on Facebook, and before we knew it, he was on a flight to the Philippines to see her in person. “She just became somebody real. Like real. Like wow,” he says about their connection. “Like I went and bought a fricking [plane] ticket. I didn’t even have authorization for time off. I don’t care, I bought the ticket and I’m going.”

Big Ed From 90 Day Fiance
Courtesy of Ed Brown/Instagram

The TLC alum addresses how their age gap wasn’t an issue, especially because she always said “age is just a number.” On top of that, Ed says he never thought of her as “this young girl,” either. “She just became this single mother that I wanted to help.”

On April 23, Rose blasted Ed in a now-deleted Instagram Live video, claiming he “embarrassed” her and continued to spread “lies” tarnishing her reputation. This was shortly before a new episode of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days aired, showing Ed giving her a toothbrush, mouthwash and toothpaste because her “breath is not pretty.”

So, does Ed have any regrets about his comments? “I can’t believe I said that. Why did I say that?” he admits on the podcast, also sounding off about the time he asked her to take an STD test. “My heart was in the right place, but I didn’t do that correctly. I didn’t do that right, and that’s just one of many [instances],” the reality star explains.

Rose From 90 Day Fiance
Courtesy of Rose/Instagram

On the May 3 episode, Rose seemingly dumped Ed after they argued about having kids. She was hoping to give her son, Prince, a sibling down the line, but Ed surprised her by revealing he has no interest in having any more children.

Will they work it out? Time will tell!

90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days airs on TLC Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

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