Big Brother 26 has nearly arrived, and fans should be prepared for an unusual first week.
The producers have already selected the BB26 cast members, and they will likely be revealed on Monday, July 15. Though it’s possible, they could also hold off until Tuesday, July 16.
A $750,000 prize is on the line, and gameplay for Big Brother 26 begins on July 16.
Even though the season premiere episode airs on Wednesday, July 17, the houseguests will reportedly enter the house a day earlier.
The early move-in also means that the first episode won’t be live, giving the producers time to work out the kinks and no dead time during the first few episodes.
Julie Chen Moonves also revealed a huge shocker: the BB26 cast will be introduced on separate days.
A fast-paced first week of Big Brother 26
Julie revealed that the first eight houseguests will be introduced on the July 17 episode, and eight more will be introduced on the July 18 episode.
The staggered approach means CBS viewers have to tune in to two episodes to meet the first 16 houseguests. But wait… there’s more.
It was just revealed that there’s a 17th houseguest. This resembles how Survivor legend Cirie Fields popped up on Big Brother 25.
The BB25 cast went through nearly the entire season premiere, battling it out in a series of challenges and deciding on the first Head of Household, only to learn that Cirie was waiting in the Kitchen.
Cirie was allowed to compete as a full BB25 cast member and had the added advantage of playing the summer with her son (Jared Fields).
Will the BB26 cast be joined by someone in a similar fashion? Or is the 17th houseguest going to play right into the theme this summer? Stay tuned.
Here are some details about the Big Brother 26 theme. It boils down to Artificial Intelligence impacting the players, with the house design even controlled by AI.
Below, Julie reminds everyone to expect the unexpected as we get a fresh look at the Big Brother house.
Some more news and notes from the world of Big Brother
A Big Brother alum is upset about delayed Live Feeds. The feeds will get delayed due to the staggered cast introduction, meaning we will miss some action.
Another Big Brother alum fears the show has been infiltrated. She spoke about how influencers have changed the game, and that it has become less enjoyable for the home audience.
Previous seasons of Big Brother are streaming on Paramount+. That includes the season featuring Cirie Fields (Big Brother 25).
Big Brother 26 debuts July 17 on CBS.
All episodes of Big Brother are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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