Julie Chen Moonves Reveals Why ‘Celebrity Big Brother 3’ Won’t Return in Early 2021
For the past two years, CBS has announced the spinoff Celebrity Big Brother following the finale of BB19 and BB20. Because the network hasn’t mentioned the third season, many fans began believing it quietly canceled the spinoff. However, host Julie Chen Moonves spoke about the delay in an interview with BB21 star Nicole Anthony and implied the series would come back at some point.
‘Celebrity Big Brother’ has had two successful seasons
Shortly after Big Brother 19 wrapped, the first season of the star-studded spinoff premiered in February 2018. Featuring a cast including UFC fighter Chuck Liddell, The Cosby Show star Keshia Knight Pulliam, actress Shannon Elizabeth, retired NBA player Metta World Peace, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Brandi Glanville, actor James Maslow, former White House political aide Omarosa Manigault, Miss Columbia 2014 Ariadna Gutiérrez, Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath, television host Ross Matthews, and eventual winner Broadway actress Marissa Jaret Winokur, the season pulled strong ratings.
Averaging over 5 million viewers per episode, CBS renewed it for another season. Actors Jonathan Bennett, Joey Lawrence, and Kato Kaelin appeared on CBB2 alongside Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, former WWE star Natalie Eva Marie, comedian Tom Green, The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss, actress Lindsay Lohan’s mother, Dina, Olympic track star Lolo Jones, former NFL running back Ricky Williams, and singer Tamar Braxton.
Reports surfaced claiming ‘CBB3’ was in the works
Braxton is currently the only African-American winner of the United States franchise. Additionally, she and Williams are the only two Black players who have made up the final two to date.
However, the season didn’t do as well as the first, dropping nearly a million viewers per episode. Therefore, when CBS didn’t announce a renewal, many fans began assuming the network quietly canceled the spinoff.
Following Big Brother 22, reports began circulating that casting had begun for the third season of CBB. According to media outlet Screen Rant, a Real Housewives star, celebrity chef, and cast member from the Netflix series Tiger King are reportedly in talks of joining the cast.
Many fans have vocalized wanting to see reality personality Tiffany “New York” Pollard or actress Miranda Cosgrove compete on the show.
Host Julie Chen Moonves says she fought for ‘CBB3’
In a December 2020 interview with BB21 America’s Favorite Houseguest Nicole Anthony and Your Reality Recaps host Eric Curto, host Julie Chen Moonves addressed the celebrity spinoff delay.
She explained that she and the producers believe it’s the perfect time to “cast” the series because celebrities aren’t touring or traveling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The host noted they “were pushing” the third season but claimed CBS denied it at the moment, telling them “not yet.” According to Moonves, she thinks the network chose not to begin production on the third season following BB22 because it already had a “responsibility” to air other shows for its fall lineup.
While fans won’t see CBB3 as early as the beginning of 2021, it doesn’t seem as though CBS has officially canceled the spinoff.
