Joe Millionare Star: I Was Handing Out $100 Bills

Evan Marriott - who was riding high in 2003 after winning $500,000 on the Fox reality dating series 'Joe Millionaire' - has spoken about squandering his fortune. Evan sat down with The Insider's Brooke Anderson to reveal how he blew his cash and why it took a serious health scare to put his life back on track.

The premise of Joe Millionaire saw women contestants told Evan was a wealthy bachelor worth millions, though in reality he worked on a construction site earning a modest wage. After all the other contestants had been eliminated, the secret was revealed to the last remaining women - who said she would stay with Evan anyway, meaning the couple won $500,000 each. The show became a pop culture phenomenon in the United States, with over 40 million viewers. On how he managed to squander his cash, Evan explained, "It wasn't that I went on a spending spree.I mean I bought property, tried to do this real estate thing, and failed miserably. You know, I bought a Mercedes.I was handing out $100 bills like they were candy, like I had my own printing press". Marriott - who currently works as a construction contractor - explained that he suffered an on-the-job injury that nearly led to the amputation of his leg. During his recovery, he ballooned to more than 270lbs in weight and became depressed, but it ultimately made him reassess his life and get things back on track.

Evan joined a host of other stars to celebrate Fox's 25th Anniversary Special on Sunday (April 22, 2012). The show looked back on the ground-breaking shows that have featured on the network since its birth in 1987, including Joe Millionaire.