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Julie Chen Moonves knows exactly who she’d like to come back to Big Brother. The host of the long-running CBS reality show says she thinks Paul Abrahamian is the former contestant who most deserves another shot at the top prize.  

Julie Chen Moonves thinks ‘Big Brother’ player Paul Abrahamian should get another chance

Portrait of Paul Abrahamian from 'Big Brother' Season 19, who host Julie Chen thinks deserves a do-over.
Paul Abrahamian from ‘Big Brother’ | Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2017 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Moonves recently chatted with Deadline about Big Brother ahead of the season 24 premiere on July 6. She weighed in on which past players she’d most like to see return to the Big Brother house.

“I would like Paul Raffi Abrahamian to have a do-over,” she said. Moonves added: “I think he’s probably mellowed out and hopefully matured. I mean he’s no doubt so good at the game, but twice in a row to come in as the runner-up? That’s harsh. I think he should be given another chance for sure.”

Abrahamian appeared on Big Brother Season 18 and Season 19. They finished in the top two during both appearances on the show, losing to Nicole Franzel in 2016 and Josh Martinez in 2017.

Abrahamian has said in the past that he isn’t interested in being on ‘Big Brother’ again

In a tweet, Abrahamian reacted to Moonves’ comments about a possible return to Big Brother.  “Yo shoutout @JCMoonves for being the only person who wants to see me play again lmao,” they wrote. 

Back in 2020, Abrahamian rejected the idea of making a return to the franchise, saying they had no interest in being on Big Brother: All-Stars.  

“The experience as a whole comes with a hefty amount of emotional and mental stress,” Abrahamian wrote in a message shared on Twitter. “I don’t think going from one stressful quarantine to another is a good idea. I miss life and I miss genuine human interaction.”

“Society as a whole is changing at a fast pace,” he added. “I don’t want to be locked away and be unaware of, or miss out on, the evolution of where we are headed as people. I want to be part of this change and I want to continue learning and growing with society. (not hide from it).” A desire to pursue new projects related to art and music and and be close to their parents, who were facing health issues, were also factors in Abrahamian’s lack of interest in returning to the show. 

The ‘Big Brother’ host also thinks Danielle Reyes and Jessica Graf should get a do-over  

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Abrahamian wasn’t the only Big Brother alum Moonves felt should get a do-over. 

“I’ve always thought Danielle Reyes from season 3 deserves another chance,” she said. “And Jessica Graf was very good at the game too. Unfortunately, she was in this showmance with Cody Nickson and he was a hothead in the house. She knew the game. She’s watched it since the very beginning. So I’d like to see her have another chance at it. Maybe even Chicken George for, you know, the heck of it.”

Big Brother Season 24 premieres Wednesday, July 6 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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