The Big Brother Season 28 cast has only been public for a matter of days, but some familiar faces from the franchise are already making predictions.
Former Big Brother 23 houseguests Tiffany Mitchell, Hannah Chaddha, Claire Rehfuss and Derek Frazier were joined by Season 23 winner Xavier Prather on the Season 5 premiere of Heavy Crown Network’s The Royal Tea Podcast, where they broke down each of the 16 new houseguests ahead of premiere night.
The discussion quickly turned into more than a simple cast assessment. The longtime friends bounced between strategic analysis, personal stories from their own season and plenty of playful teasing, offering viewers an experienced perspective on what could unfold this summer.
Former Houseguests See a Different Casting Strategy This Season
One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation was Xavier Prather’s belief that CBS put extra effort into assembling this year’s cast.
Prather said he noticed contestants coming from a wider range of careers and life experiences, suggesting production continues to evolve its casting strategy in an effort to keep the game fresh.
The group also pushed back against the common assumption that athletic contestants automatically dominate Big Brother. While MMA fighter Kamu immediately stood out as one of the season’s biggest physical threats, Prather argued that succeeding in competitions doesn’t always translate into succeeding inside the house.
Mitchell agreed she would have preferred to see fewer traditionally athletic contestants.
“You know what? They got a lot of bodies this season,” she joked while discussing Kamu, adding that she’d like to see more players focused primarily on the social game.
Throughout the episode, the former houseguests repeatedly emphasized that perception often matters more than strength, pointing to their own experiences navigating alliances, competition wins and first impressions.
Jason Emerged as an Early Favorite While Other Players Divided Opinions
The panel didn’t agree on every prediction, but several houseguests generated immediate excitement.
Former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Jason, known professionally as Selena S. Titties, received some of the night’s strongest praise.
Frazier, who already knows Jason personally, said his reality television experience could give him an edge. Mitchell predicted Jason could help bring back an “old school” style of Big Brother gameplay, while Rehfuss noted that simply having experience performing under cameras can make the adjustment to life inside the house easier.
Chaddha also expressed confidence in Jason’s chances, saying she believes he’ll know when to entertain and when to dial things back strategically.
Not every cast member inspired the same level of confidence.
Ashley generated mixed reactions after Mitchell joked that her polished introduction almost sounded “AI,” while Rehfuss said Ashley may be smarter than viewers initially assume after researching contestants’ social media profiles before the podcast.
Barrett was immediately labeled one of the cast’s biggest superfans. Rehfuss pointed to his longtime involvement in the Big Brother community, while Mitchell revealed she had actually met him before the show.
The hosts also questioned Drew’s youth, debated Haley’s reserved personality, discussed whether Melody should reveal her experience as a game show host and wondered if Lyric’s influencer background could allow her to quietly slide through the early weeks of the game.
Rehfuss repeatedly referenced her own social media research throughout the episode, noting details ranging from contestants’ previous television appearances to online personas that differed from their official CBS biographies.
La Trice also emerged as one of the group’s most intriguing players. Mitchell related to her as an older woman of color entering the house, while the panel debated whether production might attempt to give her a “grandma edit” despite believing she could use that perception to her advantage.
When discussing Taylor, Prather praised her confidence but questioned whether studying conflict resolution would necessarily translate into handling conflict inside the Big Brother house. Rehfuss added that players often enter with carefully constructed strategies only to discover the game requires constant flexibility.
The conversation also touched on possible returning players, including speculation surrounding former Big Brother houseguest Angela and Survivor alum Rick Devens, before the panel made its early winner predictions.
Jason, La Trice and Kamu received multiple votes as potential winners, while several panelists predicted this could be the year another male houseguest claims the $750,000 prize.
Although none of the predictions will be tested until the game begins, one thing was clear from the podcast: years after competing together on Big Brother 23, Prather, Mitchell, Chaddha, Rehfuss and Frazier still have the chemistry that made them fan favorites. Their spirited debates, playful arguments and shared experiences offered viewers an entertaining preview of what could become one of the most unpredictable seasons in recent memory.
