‘Big Brother: Celebrity Edition’ Returning Winter 2021, Julie Chen Moonves Will Host
Many fans thought CBS quietly canceled its popular celebrity spinoff as the show hadn’t returned in two years. Additionally, host Julie Chen Moonves’s deal to host Big Brother seemingly ended after season 23. However, the network has announced the anticipated return for its third season, with the long-standing host at the helm.
‘Celebrity Big Brother 3’ returning in Winter 2021
Following a two-year break, the popular spinoff will return for season 3, featuring a new star-studded lineup of houseguests competing for the title and top prize.
A staple of the show, the 24/7 Live Feeds will not change as viewers can still log in to their Paramount+ account at any time to watch their favorite houseguests strategize and other moments that don’t make the hour-long episodes.
The network hasn’t announced the lineup, but reports in Dec. 2020 claimed producers are planning on including former White House counselor KellyAnne Conway, a Bravo’s Real Housewives star, a celebrity chef, and a memorable cast member from popular Netflix miniseries, Tiger King, such as Carole Baskin, who recently appeared on Dancing with the Stars, Doc Antle, Dillon Passage, and John Finlay.
Many fans have noted they would like to see actor Miranda Cosgrove or reality star Tiffany “New York” Pollard, who competed in the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother as houseguests.
Host Julie Chen Moonves previously claimed she fought for the spinoff to return
During a Dec. 2020 interview with BB21’s America’s Favorite Player Nicole Anthony and Your Reality Recaps host Eric Curto on their podcast Hello Friends, long-standing host Julie Chen Moonves addressed the spinoff’s delay.
She explained that she considered it the perfect time to “cast” for the show as celebrities have more downtime and are not touring or filming due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therefore, the spinoff wouldn’t present as a time conflict for the stars as it previously did. Additionally, Moonves claimed she and other producers “were pushing” for a third season but claimed the network said, “not yet.”
While she’s not sure why CBS didn’t pursue it, she believes it had something to do with the network’s obligation to air other shows for its fall lineup. If that’s true, it explains why the spinoff will air on Paramount+ as opposed to CBS.
‘Celebrity Big Brother’ hasn’t aired since 2019
Following Big Brother 19 in 2017, the first season of Celebrity Big Brother premiered in Feb. 2018 featuring Miss Columbia 2014 Ariadna Gutiérrez, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Brandi Glanville, UFC fighter Chuck Liddell, actor James Maslow, The Cosby Show star Keshia Knight Pulliam, Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath, retired NBA player Metta World Peace, former White House political aide Omarosa Manigault, television host Ross Matthews, actor Shannon Elizabeth, and eventual winner Broadway actor Marissa Jaret Winokur.
The series pulled strong ratings, leading to the greenlight of a second season. Celebrity Big Brother 2 made history as two Black houseguests made it to the end, and Tamar Braxton became the first African-American winner of the American franchise. Big Brother 23 airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8/7 Central on CBS.
