Nicole Franzel Gets Emotional On ‘Big Brother’ Anniversary

Nicole Franzel

CBS Nicole Franzel of Big Brother.

Nicole Franzel posted a nostalgic video from her “Big Brother” journey as she celebrated her 7-year history with the franchise.

In a new post shared to her Instagram page, the Season 18 champion looked back on her memorable moments as a three-time player on the CBS reality competition. Franzel also competed on “The Amazing Race” following her “Big Brother” stardom, per IMDB.

In her new video, Franzel shared footage from her time on CBS set to the Pink song “All I Know So Far,” as well as still photos from her stints on “Big Brother 16,” 18 and 22.

The reality star, who is expecting her first child with fellow “Big Brother” alum Victor Arroyo in July 2021, captioned the clip to reveal that it has been exactly seven years since she started her TV journey.

“Watching this made me ball my eyes out,” Franzel wrote. “Bc very often I forget about all of this. CBS gave me so much & I gave them (& the public) all of me in return.”


Franzel’s Life Was Changed Forever By ‘Big Brother’

Franzel was just 21-year-old when “Big Brother” fans first met her in the summer of 2014.  In her new post, she revealed that she joined the CBS summertime competition after becoming a  superfan of the game as a little girl. “Big Brother” made its debut on CBS in July 2000 when Franzel was just eight years old.

While Franzel admitted she became “super good” at “Big Brother,” she also revealed that she has rarely acknowledged how much she accomplished on the series. She added that many people in her life don’t even know that she won the $500,000 grand prize during her second go-around on the show in 2016, or that she was the first-ever female to beat a male in the final two. Franzel noted that she also holds the record for playing the “Big Brother” game more than any other contestant in the history of the show.

After a four-year absence, Franzel returned to the franchise in 2020 to play in the “Big Brother: All-Stars” season, which turned out to be her most difficult run.  While she had hoped to become the first-ever two-time winner on the show, she found herself “alone’ in the game without any real allies for the first time.

“Every time you go in that house, you look around, and you’re looking for your ‘ride or die.’ And I didn’t see that person,” she told Parade after her eviction last summer. “I couldn’t find a person that I really thought I could count on. This was the most alone I played the game.”

She landed in third place in the “Big Brother: All-stars” game.

Nearly one year later, Franzel admitted in her social media post that a lot of people don’t even know she was on national TV four times.

“I don’t talk about it,” she wrote. “Even though that house means so much to me.”

Franzel admitted that even though she met her future husband and scored acting jobs all from appearing on “Big Brother,”  the notoriety she gained from the show took a toll on her.

“Your success can make others very ugly,” she wrote. “But that’s on them, not you.”

Franzel thanked ”Big Brother” for making her “strong as hell” and promised that her journey is only beginning and that “the best is yet to come.”

Franzel has said that her reality TV days are done, but earlier this year she did tease that she would love to compete on “Dancing With the Stars” or “Survivor.”


Franzel Received Support From Her ‘Big Brother’ Costars & Other Reality Stars

Nicole Franzel finally won her first Head of Household and Power of Veto of the season in the Big Brother 22 house

CBSNicole Franzel finally won her first Head of Household and Power of Veto of the season in the Big Brother 22 house

On Instagram, Franzel received plenty of support from fans and celebrity friends, including several fellow reality TV stars, after posting her emotional video.

“Wow I love this and love what you wrote! Congratulations love!!!!” wrote “Big Brother” Season 21 star Tommy Bracco.

“You should be SO proud! I know from experience that being on reality TV isn’t easy. And I can only imagine being in that kind of situation,” wrote former “Bachelorette” star Ali Fedotowsky.

“I’d just like to say I was the biggest winner of all! Love you babes,” added Franzel‘s husband, Victor Arroyo, weeks before she is set to deliver their baby boy, Victor “Arrow” Arroyo IV.

Other fans described Franzel as “legendary,” “iconic,” and “the best” female ever to play the “Big Brother” game.

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