We're just a little over a month out from Big Brother's return to the 2026 TV schedule, and Season 24 winner Taylor Hale is getting people excited! The host of BB: Unlocked, which will return this summer, just shared her top pick of whom she'd like to see play in a hypothetical returnee season, and it's none other than Michael Bruner! And, yes, I 100% agree with Hale in wanting Bruner to return!
Hale name-dropped Bruner in a since-deleted Instagram Stories post, which was shared by @TheBigBroTea on X. Michael was on Season 24 with Taylor, which was the same season on which she became the first Black woman to win the flagship series. As for why I think Bruner would be a great choice for a returnee season, there are a few reasons for that.
Why I'd Love To See Michael Bruner Return To Big Brother
Big Brother Season 24 is all about Taylor Hale, which makes sense, considering her bullying controversy put her in the spotlight. Taylor deserved her win, without question but, if you asked me who played the best game that season, it was Michael Bruner. Michael was a power player in the game and won so many competitions that he broke Janelle Pierzina's record for wins in a single season. Theoretically, he could bring that same level of competitiveness to a new season, which would be awesome.
Also, just to note, Michael might've kept winning in Season 24 had a malfunctioning rope not broken during the veto that saw him ousted from the house as part of a double eviction. Ultimately, Michael's record-setting run was short-lived, as Jag Bains ended up surpassing his record-setting accolades in Season 25.
I'd like to think that in a season with the BB Blockbuster, Michael would've been unstoppable and have maybe won it all, but we can't be sure until he actually returns for another season of Big Brother. If nothing else, he could have another iconic exit, which still makes me laugh when I see it pop up on social media. So, all in all, Bruner could inject a lot of energy into a new season and could even spark some entertaining drama.
Will Big Brother Season 28 Feature Returnees?
Taylor's recent comments on a returnee season aren't coming out of thin air. Plenty of fans are speculating that Big Brother Season 28 will feature returning Houseguests, with Julie Chen Moonves' latest post being considered a hint that it's happening.
It isn't wild to think Big Brother would bring back returning players, especially given that last season brought back Season 13 winner Rachel Reilly. Generally, the Reality TV medium seems to be trending toward re-using reality stars for other shows, with The Traitors and other popular properties being comprised of reality veterans. CBS has also leaned into this recently, as evidenced by a season of The Amazing Race with all former Big Brother Houseguests.
In addition to that, the past five seasons of Big Brother have featured some incredible Houseguests. Seeing any of those former contestants again would be a treat, though I'm ultimately leaning toward the theory that there will be eight returnees, which would account for half the cast of a standard season. Newbies vs. vets? Sign me up, especially if Michael Bruner is part of it.
Big Brother's Season 28 premiere hits CBS on July 9th at 8:00 p.m ET. Given how the show's promotion normally operates, fans will likely know ahead of time whether this will be a returnee season or not. So keep those eyes peeled for updates on that front!
