Photo credit: CBS
Big Brother Season 28 premiere 2026 is officially here. The 28th season debuts tonight, July 9, on CBS with a 90-minute premiere beginning at 7 p.m. Central time. Moreover, the season carries a Time Trip theme that will run through the house design, competitions, and twists throughout the summer. Furthermore, this season marks a franchise milestone as it becomes the first primetime series to reach 1,000 original episodes. Consequently, longtime fans have even more reason to tune in beyond the usual summer competition stakes.
Julie Chen Moonves returns as host for another season of the long-running reality competition. Moreover, 14 houseguests have already been announced but additional surprises are waiting inside the house for the premiere. Furthermore, at least three more houseguests are expected to enter, with reports pointing to Survivor fan favorites Rick Devens and Dee Valladares as well as Big Brother Season 26 alum Angela Murray. Consequently, the crossover element gives the premiere added intrigue for fans of both franchises.
The full Big Brother Season 28 cast announced so far
Fourteen houseguests were announced ahead of the premiere. Here is the complete confirmed cast for Big Brother Season 28:
- Ashley Trail, 24, bartender from Alton, Illinois
- Barrett Pfeiffer, 27, jumbotron engineer from Benton, Arkansas
- Chuk Anyanwu, 27, supply chain analyst from Dallas, Texas
- Drew Campbell, 22, surgical dental assistant from Temecula, California
- Haley Thogmartin, 29, telemedicine executive from Neosho, Missouri
- Jason De Puy, 35, drag queen from San Francisco
- Kamuela Kamu Kirk, 32, MMA fighter from Phoenix
- LaTrice Verrett, 57, boutique salesperson from Kankakee, Illinois
- Lyric Medeiros, 25, attorney from Honolulu
- Mallory Aurichio, 24, rocket scientist from Township of Washington, New Jersey
- Melody Morris, 24, corporate game show host from Thornton, Colorado
- Rome Seymour, 28, pickleball coach from Traverse City, Michigan
- Taylor Brown, 27, elementary school counselor from Deerfield Beach, Florida
- Yash Patel, 24, financial analyst from Monroe Township, New Jersey
Moreover, the cast spans a wide range of ages, professions, and locations that reflects the show’s tradition of assembling diverse groups of contestants. Additionally, the three unannounced surprise houseguests are expected to be introduced during tonight’s premiere.
What happens in the Big Brother Season 28 premiere tonight
The premiere episode will introduce all 14 announced houseguests through their individual packages before they receive their keys and enter the Big Brother house. Moreover, the three surprise houseguests will be revealed during the episode as well. Furthermore, if past seasons follow their usual pattern, the premiere will also include an early competition to begin establishing the power dynamics inside the house. Consequently, the 90-minute premiere gives producers enough time to handle introductions, surprises, and an opening competition all in one night.
The houseguests will be isolated from the outside world for the duration of the season and compete for a $750,000 prize. Moreover, cameras will monitor every move they make around the clock, including through the live feeds available to fans on multiple platforms. Additionally, the Time Trip theme will likely shape how the competitions and twists unfold across the summer. Consequently, the house design and game structure are both built around the temporal concept that runs throughout this season.
Big Brother Season 28 episode schedule and where to watch
Big Brother Season 28 will air three times per week on CBS following tonight’s premiere. Episodes run on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Moreover, Thursday episodes will be 60 minutes long and will feature live evictions starting after the premiere. Additionally, Sunday episodes are also 60 minutes, though the July 12 episode will run 90 minutes. Furthermore, Wednesday episodes will always run 90 minutes throughout the season.
The show airs on CBS and streams live on Paramount Plus with a Premium plan. Moreover, episodes are available the next day on Paramount Plus with any plan, including the Essential tier that starts at $8.99 per month. Additionally, live feeds will be available on Paramount Plus on any plan, on PlutoTV, and for the first time this season, through the Big Brother YouTube page for limited periods following each episode. Consequently, fans have more options to follow the action 24/7 than in any previous season.
Big Brother Unlocked, the weekly studio talk show, also returns and premieres Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m. Central. Hosts Taylor Hale from Big Brother Season 24 and Derrick Levasseur from Season 16 return alongside new addition actor Jerry O’Connell. Moreover, the companion show provides additional analysis and houseguest discussion following each week’s episodes. Consequently, the full Big Brother Season 28 content ecosystem offers something for fans at every level of investment in the show.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Christopher Kuhagen
