'Big Brother' season 24 star Monte Taylor of Bear shares podcast plans

Monte Taylor of Bear now has 75,000 reasons to be happy, after winning that amount of prize money as a runner-up on season 24 of CBS’ “Big Brother.”

Had he not underestimated winner Taylor Hale on Sunday’s final episode, the University of Delaware grad might have been $750,000 richer.

Taylor, a 27-year-old personal trainer and Tatnall School alum, said even though the show has ended, he’s in a house in Los Angeles with some of his peers from the reality show where he’s been doing lots of interviews with news outlets.

He plans to return home to Delaware on Oct. 8.

The News Journal / Delaware Online spoke to Taylor about how he wants to spend his prize money, his plan start a new podcast, his relationship with winner Taylor Hale, and what he missed most about Delaware while he spent 82 days on the reality show.

Have you had any new uncles, aunties or cousins reach out to you, after you won $75,000?

No, brother. Look, if maybe I would’ve had that $750K I would. But not with the $75K. (Laughs). It’s been a lot of love and support from everybody that was there beforehand, and is still here afterwards. So it’s been all love.

What’s one thing you’d like to spend your prize money on?

I have my online fitness coaching business Taylor’d Fit (on Instagram at taylord_fit_), which I’m very excited to get back into and get that up and running. But I also want to begin looking into podcasting, starting my own podcast [where I’d be] talking about mindset, helping people who are looking to make that leap from whatever they’re doing that’s not making them happy, to doing what they love and being in that space. But as much as I can, I want to give back to my parents. I think all of those vehicles are really to fuel that mission of mine. When you have people who love you unconditionally, they deserve to be rewarded.

What impact has being on ‘Big Brother’ had on you?

I have so much in common with everybody in the house, you know, like our mindsets, how we think about business; and I’ve learned so much from everybody. So I think that’s been the biggest impact … I’ve had so many ideas and so many conversations in that house that I wish I was able to write it down and log it and do all that sort of stuff. But now I need to act upon it.

You still live in Delaware?

Yes, I currently do. Right before I got on the show I had an apartment up in Philly, but there was a mold issue in the apartment [and I] had to move out. So I moved back home with my mom temporarily.

With the exception of friends and family, what did you miss about Delaware when you were on the show?

Oh man, I miss going to Main Street. I went to the University of Delaware, too, so Main Street was a place that I always frequented [including] Playa Bowl, Roots [Natural Kitchen], UD Creamery. I’m big into everything that UD has to offer on Main Street, so I missed that … even Santa Fe Mexican Grill. Oh my God, I used to love the wings there.

Do you still keep in touch with Taylor Hale?

We’re staying at a place here in Sherman Oaks, California. So we’re [currently] all at the same house [with some of the contestants]. We’re hanging out and chilling. So it’s just been kind of hectic, because we’re doing PR stuff, especially like the top three folks. We haven’t really had a lot of time to just sit down and chat. I mean, we did go out for some drinks [Wednesday] night, but that was about it. But yeah, it’s been tiring man. I don’t think I’ve gotten any sort of normal schedule. So … we’ve come across each other and gone out, but we haven’t sat down and had a one-on-one, per se.