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One of the hottest shows of the summer is Big Brother with season 23 playing out live on CBS. The reality competition isolates 16 contestants from the outside world and must live within the confines of a house. This sounds like the perfect place to be as the coronavirus (COVID-19) is still very much affecting everyone’s lives in the “real world.” Even with all the precautions and protocols set by the eye network, it has been reported that there have been nine cases of people testing positive for the virus.

'Big Brother 23' cast: (Top from left) Christian Birkenberger, Hannah Chaddha, Kyland Young, Britini DХAngelo, Derek Xiao, Sarah Steagall, Travis Long, and Whitney Williams. (Bottom from left) Tiffany Mitchel, Brandon French, Azah Awasum, Xavier Prather, Alyssa Lopez, Brent Champagne, Claire Rehfuss, Derek Frazier
(Top from left) Christian Birkenberger, Hannah Chaddha, Kyland Young, Britini DХAngelo, Derek Xiao, Sarah Steagall, Travis Long, and Whitney Williams. (Bottom from left) Tiffany Mitchel, Brandon French, Azah Awasum, Xavier Prather, Alyssa Lopez, Brent Champagne, Claire Rehfuss, Derek Frazier

Is ‘Big Brother 23’ shutting down production due to positive coronavirus cases?

As the Big Brother game plays out, CBS has been taking precautions with how they are handling business. They test production crew and contestants regularly. Deadline is reporting that the show has seen nine positive cases for COVID-19 since July 26. The publication sourced their information from L.A. County’s COVID database which pointed to the cases coming from Stage 18 of the CBS Studio Center, where the Julie Chen hosted show is housed.

According to the report, none of the housemates had contact with the crew members that tested positive. Production has not been affected by the outbreak and the show has continued without missing a beat. The show reportedly employs about 500 people and the people that tested positive have returned to work after being cleared.

Last year, when houseguests exited the house, they were forced to wear masks and sit far from Chen during their interview. However, this year, the evicted contestant doesn’t wear a mask nor has to physically distance themselves from the show’s host. Big Brother has gone without an in-studio audience as a precaution.

'Big Brother' Season 23 Logo
‘Big Brother’ Season 23 Logo | Courtesy of CBS/ CBS 2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

‘Big Brother 23’ contestants evicted before premiere

CBS has taken the safety measures seriously and regularly tests the housemates. After announcing the contestants for the new season, days later it was reported one of the contestants was stepping down from the competition. Before starting the show, they had tested positive for COVID-19 and therefore had to leave her spot.

Christie Valdiserri, who had been a fan-favorite since the cast announcement, took to social media to explain why she was not entering the house.

“I don’t want to be sharing this news but I tested positive for COVID and I have no idea how I got it,” she said in a video posted on the Big Brother Instagram account.

Julie Chen Moonves smiling on the set of 'Big Brother 23'
Julie Chen Moonves | CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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The would-be contestant said that she had been taking all the precautions and had been vaccinated. Valdiserri was looking forward to being part of the show to spread awareness about people living with alopecia just like her.

“It’s really frustrating because I won’t be playing in Big Brother this summer,” she continued. “I just have to say that when you’re faced with adversity, I keep telling myself that it’s for a bigger reason. I don’t know what the reason [is] yet but I’ve had a roller coaster of emotions the past 48 hours.”

Big Brother Season 23 airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Die-hard fans can also subscribe to Paramount+ to watch the houseguests 24/7 with the live feeds.

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