CBS Julie Chen Moonves has been hosting Big Brother since its premiere season in the summer of 2000.
Longrunning CBS reality competition series Big Brother is back this summer with its 22nd season — and it’s the first all-star season since 2006. Here’s what we know so far about the premiere date and schedule.
Big Brother Premieres Wednesday, August 5
The festivities kick off on Wednesday, August 5 with a two-hour live move-in event. This is particularly exciting for viewers since usually, the contestants are in the house for a week before the live feeds start. The only time fans have been able to watch the hamsters move in live was during the online-only season, Big Brother: Over the Top, which was a season that appeared only on the live feeds.
But this year, fans will get to watch the hamsters enter the new Big Brother house and get settled in, with the feeds most likely starting up as soon as the West Coast airing of the show is over, which will be at 11 p.m. PT/2 a.m. ET that night.
The Schedule & COVID-19 Precautions
Big Brother will once again have three weekly episodes. Following the premiere, the series will air pre-recorded and edited episodes on Sundays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT and the live eviction shows on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/delayed PT. The live eviction shows will continue to be hosted by Julie Chen Moonves.
Production will follow specific health and safety protocols for COVID-19 with the welfare of everyone involved as the highest priority. Houseguests will undergo a quarantine period prior to production and will be tested several times prior to entering the House. Once inside, they will be tested weekly during the season and have no contact with any crew members, and all supplies delivered will be disinfected. In addition, the live show will not have a studio audience.
All staff and crew members will be tested prior to commencing work on a regular basis, as well as screened daily for symptoms. They’ll be required to wear PPE and will work in pods to enhance social distancing. In addition, a COVID-19 compliance officer will be on staff to monitor and enforce all health and safety COVID-19 protocols.
As usual, Big Brother follows a group of people living together in a house outfitted with 94 HD cameras and 113 microphones, recording their every move 24 hours a day. Each week, someone will be voted out of the house, with the last remaining Houseguest receiving the grand prize of $500,000.
The Cast
The All-Star houseguests, including winners, finalists, legends, memorable personalities, and some of the best to never win the game, will be announced closer to premiere. The live feed teaser on CBS All Access had been trumpeting interviews with the new cast on Wednesday, July 29, but that placard has since stopped running. The rumors on social media are that the cast keeps changing.
But according to Evel Dick Donato’s Twitter, here are the most recent possibilities: Christmas Abbott, David Alexander, Kevin Campbell, Memphis Garrett, Nicole Franzel, Nicole Anthony, Tyler Crispen, Enzo Palumbo, Ian Terry, Janelle Pierzina, Kaysar Ridha, Bayleigh Dayton, Keesha Smith, Cody Calafiore, Da’Vonne Rogers, and Danielle Donato.
Big Brother premieres Wednesday, August 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
READ NEXT: MTV ‘True Life’ Star Dead at 44