“Big Brother” faced uncertainty almost immediately after its debut, according to longtime host Julie Chen Moonves.
Speaking on “The Diamond Podcast” with season 26 winner Chelsie Baham, Chen Moonves recalled that there were early rumors the reality series could be canceled just weeks into its first season in the summer of 2000.
“There were rumors that they could cancel the show, like, you know, two, three weeks in,” Chen Moonves told Baham on the podcast episode, which was released April 14.
At the time, Chen Moonves said the possibility of the show ending so quickly raised questions about what would happen to the houseguests.
“I’m like, ‘What do we do? Just, like, let them all out, you know?'” she said.
Julie Chen Recalls Early Criticism of ‘Big Brother’
GettyChen Moonves said the show faced criticism from multiple directions during its debut season at the turn of the century.
“It was a rough first year,” she said. “The critics didn’t like the show. They didn’t like me.”
She said the reaction extended beyond critics and into her workplace.
“People within—co-workers at CBS News—thought it was a scandal that I was a morning news anchor and then hosting an entertainment show,” Chen Moonves said.
GettyShe said some viewed her role as “blurring the lines of news and entertainment.”
According to Chen Moonves, the response to her role at the time was also negative.
“Nobody was happy with my job performance,” she said.
‘Big Brother’ Continued Despite Early Cancellation Rumors
GettyChen Moonves said she was still early in her time at CBS when she was approached to host “Big Brother.”
“I was only 29 years old,” she said. “I had started at the network five months earlier.”
She said the show was introduced as a new reality concept following the success of “Survivor.”
“‘Survivor’ had just launched and it was huge,” Chen Moonves said. “[The then-president of CBS News] said, you know, ‘The network is starting a new show, a reality show called ‘Big Brother.'”
She said the original format differed from what viewers see today; the show was slated for only 10 weeks with just 10 houseguests and public votes determined evictions.
“It was not as luxurious,” she said, describing early versions of the show where houseguests had to raise chickens (remember Chicken George?) and rely on limited resources.
“It was harder than ‘Survivor,'” she added.
CBSDespite early rumors and criticism, the show continued.
“They could have canceled the show. They could have canceled me from both news and entertainment,” Chen Moonves said. “But by the grace of God, I’m here today—and so is the show, you know, 25 years later.”
“Big Brother” has remained on the air since its debut in 2000, when Chen continuing as host. Season 28 is slated to premiere this summer, although no specific details about the season have been revealed yet.
