Anticipation is building for the upcoming 28th season of “Big Brother.” As always, rumors are running rampant about the cast, and there’s been speculation that several past houseguests from previous seasons will be returning this year.
Julie Chen is Disputing Casting Rumors
However, in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, “Big Brother” host Julie Chen cautioned fans not to believe everything they read. In fact, she insisted that a lot of the rumors that have been flying around will be disproven when the show debuts next week.
“It’s a big production and people talk and yada yada,” Chen told the magazine, insisting that some of the fan theories making the rounds online are way off.
“Some of you might be right what you’re speculating. Some of the stuff online might be accurate,” she added. “Some of it is dead wrong. But there’s only one way to find out if what you’re hearing is true or not, and you gotta be there [on premiere night].”
She Teases That Fans Will Be ‘Very, Very Happy’ with the New Season
That said, Chen also hinted that whether the rumors are correct or not, fans are going to love what the show’s come up with this season. “I can say that if you love ‘Big Brother’ and you’re a decent fan, it’s gonna register a big reaction,” she told EW.
“Definitely big. I think some people are gonna be very excited and happy, and I think some people are gonna be like, ‘Oh, boy.’ [Laughs] And I will say that if you are a lover of the top reality shows out there, then I think you’re gonna be very happy. Very, very happy.”
Production on Season 28 Has Been ‘Top Secret’
CBSAs Chen revealed, producers have been moving forward at a breakneck pace in anticipation of the upcoming season premiere.
“Everything is so top secret and so last minute. I didn’t even see all the rooms yet!” she said. “But I’ve been told. And the room I didn’t see, it sounds horrendous. But also amazing at the same time. And you’ll get that because I was like: ‘You are joking! That’s what you’re gonna do to them?’ But I couldn’t see it. So it sounds not fun. [Laughs] But you know, if you wanna win three-quarters of a million dollars — no pain, no gain.”
‘Big Brother’ Introduces a ‘Time Trip’ Theme
Per the Season 28 logline, this year introduces a wild new “Time Trip” theme, which will be “turning time into the ultimate twist. Houseguests will enter a world where rooms, relics and competitions transport them across moments in time, while early twists shake up the game from the start. Inspired by decades like the ’80s and Y2K, new powers and challenges can disrupt strategy and alliances.”
According to Chen, some players are going to flourish with this year’s theme. Others, however … not so much.
“That means things could go backwards. They can go forward. Is that gonna be good for someone’s game?” she teased. “Probably. Is it gonna cripple someone’s game? Probably.”.
She added: “So some people are gonna love it. Some people are gonna hate it. ‘Big Brother’ is so hard to win these days. There’s never been a formula, but the challenges have just leveled up because these people, they think they know the game. They practice at home with their version of the wall and this and that. So we have to keep it difficult. I wouldn’t last one day in that house.”
When Will the New Season of ‘Big Brother’ Premiere?
Season 28 of “Big Brother” will kick off with a special 90-minute premiere episode, airing Thursday, July 9 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
