With just days before Big Brother Season 28 moves in its Houseguests and the season premiere hits the 2026 TV schedule, a new rumor has me feeling all distraught. While it was initially rumored this season would feature returning players from past seasons, a notable insider is hinting there may only be one former Houseguest coming back, and not even an ideal competitor.
This whole thing started when rumors on X started that the split house theory between "veterans and newbies" was accurate, but not in the way some assumed. Instead, it was speculated that reality stars from other shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race would be part of the veteran cast, and that only one person would be a true returning Houseguest from Big Brother. This was seemingly confirmed by noted insider Hamsterwatch, who said the following when asked how many "returnees" they were expecting. They wrote:
Technically, one.
One returning Big Brother Houseguest isn't the end of the world, and we've seen it before. Unfortunately, it's the person it likely is that has me beside myself if this rumor is true, as mounting evidence suggests it's Season 26 Houseguest Angela Murray.
Big Brother Bringing Angela Murray As Its Sole Returning Houseguest Feels Like A Big Mistake
Assuming the Houseguests saying Angela is definitely in sequester are correct, I can't believe Big Brother would select her as the sole returnee to represent past seasons. As mentioned, we've seen this before, with Rachel Reilly's return being the latest example. In fact, this has happened quite a few times, with additional opportunities to play given to Houseguests who either fell just short of winning, or stood a good chance of doing so.
The problem is, Angela was never even close to winning, nor was she known for being exceptionally good at any one part of Big Brother. She was known for starting drama, to the point there was heavy speculation she was a plant put in by CBS to spice things up rather than actually win.
There's a laundry list of Houseguests who should've gotten that call before her, and it'll be super discouraging to see her representing the past of Big Brother, especially in a season that may draw newcomers of different fandoms. I like Angela and appreciated her time on Season 26, but if she's the sole returnee this season, that's just going to aggravate me because there were more deserving people who could've made more of the opportunity.
A House Split Between Returning Houseguests And Newbies Is Interesting, I'm Not So Sure About Reality Stars Vs. Newbies
When we first thought Big Brother Season 28 would feature an even split between returning Houseguests and newcomers, I was intrigued. I was excited to see how the house would divide, and which Houseguests would integrate with newbies and who would ultimately rise to the top in the end.
I'm far less intrigued by the idea that the cast is split between newcomers and reality stars plus Angela Murray. To me, that's basically an entirely new cast, plus someone who didn't have a solid grasp on the game the last time she played.
To me, personally, it doesn't sound like it makes for a compelling season. That feels like a problem, presumably if the goal of bringing in other reality stars would be to get a fresh set of people using a Paramount+ subscription to watch the live streams. Then again, I'm speaking as a diehard BB fan with little interest in seeing Survivor or other alums from reality shows compete on the show, compared to people I actually know.
Big Brother premieres on CBS on Thursday, July 9th at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm hoping the cast reveal puts all these rumors to rest, and I selfishly hope we don't end up seeing what is currently rumored.
