How did Harry Jowsey get famous? Reality star reveals he made $70000 on Snapchat 

Reports from Cosmopolitan Middle East indicated that Harry Jowsey had been one of the highest-paid cast members on his season of Too Hot To Handle. Before his breakout moment on Netflix, Harry Jowsey gained early recognition in 2018 after competing in and winning New Zealand’s Heartbreak Island, according to Hot New Hip Hop. The reality show victory brought him a $100,000 prize and his first experience with international exposure.

Two years later, his appearance on Too Hot To Handle catapulted him to global fame. The show quickly climbed to the top of Netflix’s charts, and his Instagram following skyrocketed from 300,000 to over 2 million within weeks. Beyond reality TV, Jowsey ventured into entrepreneurship with his own merchandise line of clothing and accessories, and launched a sunglasses brand called Kensngtn. He also carved a space in the modeling world, collaborating with major brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, and joined investors Jeff Gaspin and David Dobrik in backing the interactive app VersusGame.

As Us Weekly reported, Harry Jowsey recently revealed that he earned $70,000 through Snapchat during his Dancing With the Stars run, highlighting his understanding of monetizing social media platforms.

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Harry Jowsey said he earned $70,000 a month on snapchat during ‘DWTS’:

Harry Jowsey revealed that his income had shifted far beyond traditional reality television. Speaking on the October 20 episode of the Trading Secrets podcast, he discussed the biggest offers and brand partnerships that defined his career.

Jowsey said MTV’s Ex on the Beach offered him $70,000 to join the show, a figure that later rose to nearly $180,000.

“I think they started offering me f***ing insane money. It started at like $70,000 and that was the most I’ve ever been offered for a show, then it got up to $180,000 or somewhere around that.” he told host Jason Tartick.

The reality star ultimately declined the deal. Having first gained attention on Heartbreak Island in 2018 and later on Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle in 2020, Jowsey said his social media ventures had since become his main source of revenue. “Instagram, I make the most on,” he noted, though he described TikTok as “tough” in terms of engagement and profit.

He also said Snapchat had proven to be his most stable platform. During his Dancing With the Stars season, he reportedly earned around $70,000 per month.

“I was posting so much. I think I was making $70,000 a month just on Snapchat, I posted 500 stories and earned $30,000, ” he shared.

Jowsey went on to cite his collaboration with Tinder as his highest-paying brand deal.

“They came in insane [with their offer], I think it was over half a ticket, closer to $600,000”

He added that the six-month contract grew in value as the campaign expanded.

“They kept adding more stuff on. I think it was $5 or $600,000 [in profit].”

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Netflix bets on Harry Jowsey as the face of Its growing reality franchise:

By August 2025, Harry Jowsey had officially become part of what The Los Angeles Times reported as Netflix's “Reality Universe,” a growing ecosystem of dating, competition, and unscripted hits. The streamer’s slate ranged from Love on the Spectrum, a heartfelt look at people on the autism spectrum exploring relationships, to Too Hot to Handle, where contestants were challenged to resist temptation, and Squid Game: The Challenge, inspired by the global drama phenomenon.

Reality content had become one of Netflix’s biggest draws. The company’s strategy was clear: offer the kind of feel-good escapism that once defined network television. Dating shows, cook-offs, live reunions, all of it served as a bridge between scripted series, movies, and the platform’s newer ventures into sports and live entertainment.

Tom Nunan, a former studio and network executive, said the approach worked both ways, benefiting Netflix and its talent.

“Netflix has created its own subculture with their audience, if that means having some of your favorite reality talent move over to some of their other reality shows, so much the better. It’s just trying to keep it all in the family,” he shared.

That strategy came to life in Let’s Marry Harry, a dating show set to premiere in 2026 and executive-produced by podcaster Alex Cooper. The series marked Harry Jowsey's latest collaboration with the streamer following Too Hot to Handle, Perfect Match, and his upcoming romantic comedy The Wrong Paris.

While Let’s Marry Harry positioned itself as Netflix’s answer to The Bachelor, Harry Jowsey leaned into the chaos and charm that made him a fan favorite.

“We’re gonna be judged regardless, It’s kind of freeing to just be like, ‘Well, f**k it. I’m just gonna do it and be myself, and people aren’t gonna like it, people are gonna love it.’ It’s the best job in the world, just get to be myself on camera and have fun,” he told the Los Angeles Times.

Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction series and sports, said Harry Jowsey's presence perfectly captured what the platform wanted from its reality stars.

“He’s like a lovable rapscallion, right?” Riegg said.

“He’s got the accent. He’s got a bit of mischief in those eyes. He’s fun. He’s a good person ... if the show is a more efficient way of helping him find the potential Mrs. Jowsey then I think, awesome,” Riegg added.