Big Brother Season 28 is just around the corner, much to my excitement. Of course, there are still plenty of details that have yet to be divulged. Ahead of its arrival on the 2026 TV schedule, series host Julie Chen Moonves is doing her usual vague posting and potentially hinting at what to expect. The host dropped a post on social media that seemed to hint that former Houseguests are returning to the latest season, and I'm very excited by the possibility!
In past seasons, viewers have seen Chen Moonves hint at both the theme and twists of a season via cryptic posts on social media. For instance, before Season 26, she made posts with AI before it was revealed that such technology be a major theme of the season. Now, ahead of Season 28 she's shared a GIF with former Houseguests, and fans can't help but speculate that we'll get eight returning Houseguests this season. Take a look:
The logic here is that Julie Chen Moonves shared eight emojis, along with a GIF that featured a bunch of former Houseguests. Now, take this with a grain of salt, because it's not like she can share future footage of a Big Brother season that hasn't aired yet. If this rumor is true, however, here's why I'd be thrilled, and why I'm more apt to believe than not that returning Houseguests are on the table for Big Brother Season 28.
Why Eight Returning Houseguests Would Have Me Hyped
If Big Brother is indeed planning for eight returning Houseguests this season, I'm absolutely on board. To start, that would mean that 50% of the players in the house would be returning contestants, and that would help prevent the in-house strategy of immediately targeting former players. It could even encourage the house to split between early 8-person alliances, as each side tries to get the upper hand on the numbers. Of course, those who want to win Big Brother know alliances must be made on varying sides and that they must work secretly from the shadows while the dominos fall.
The idea of eight returning players is also exciting, because it would give BB the feel of an all-star season, without it being a fully all-star cast. Season 22 left a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of die-hard fans, but we've had so many great cast members since then. I'd love to see several former Houseguests from Season 23 and on play again and, while I got that with a recent season of The Amazing Race, it's not as fun as seeing them compete in the Big Brother house.
This Isn't The First Hint Fans Have Gotten That Former Big Brother Houseguests Could Be In Season 28
Chen Moonves' post is just the latest hint that Season 28 will feature returning Houseguests. When the press release for the latest season rolled out, many noted that it merely referred to the contestants as "Houseguests" rather than "all-new Houseguests," as it had in the previous two seasons.
New Houseguests, returnees, or whatever is around the corner, I'm hyped for Big Brother Season 28, though I hope this theory proves to be true. Also, I'm especially curious to see what's on tap for the live feeds, as I'll be accessing those frequently using a Paramount+ subscription. Here's hoping this former Houseguests rumor pans out, because I'm already thinking about all the past favorites I'd love to see back in the house!
On that note, it's also possible this may be the final season in the iconic house used for production. The studio lot its located on is up for sale, and CinemaBlend reported back in April that Netflix is looking to purchase the lot. So if this is the last season with the modern BB house, shouldn't we send it out with a bang with classic players?
Big Brother Season 28 premieres on CBS on Thursday, July 9th at 8:00 p.m. ET. Be ready for a night full of surprises and, of course, check in with CinemaBlend all season as we report on what's happening in the house!
