CBS Appears to Confirm All Stars 2 Season With New Online Merch

From Oprah Magazine

• In September 2019, CBS confirmed that Big Brother was renewed for summer 2020, returning for season 22.

• Julie Chen Moonves also revealed she’d return as host.

• Even amidst the coronavirus pandemic, CBS says they’re “optimistic” about the show airing this summer.

Last year, CBS officially confirmed that Big Brother would return for season 22, with the long-running reality show set to honor its 20th anniversary in summer 2020. But as we know, with the coronavirus pandemic, all has not gone as expected.

Though the show typically premieres in late June, CBS has yet to even issue an official premiere date. There have also been rampant online rumors and reports that allege the upcoming season will be an All Stars 2, with multiple veterans returning to the BB house for another chance at the grand cash prize. However, the network has not confirmed these reports either. (CBS has not responded to OprahMag.com’s requests for comment).

However, after months of speculation, CBS may have finally confirmed a season full of our favorite former houseguests is in our future. Now, whether the (possible) reveal was intentional or not remains to be seen. Eagle-eyed fans spotted a few new additions to CBS’s online merchandise shop, with new”Big Brother All Stars” products.

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The site is currently selling a face mask, bowl, mason jar, and mug, all printed with the same “Big Brother All Stars” logo. We’ll take this as a sign that good news is ahead. But in the mean time, we’ll fill you in on all the fan speculation.

How is the coronavirus affecting this summer’s Big Brother All Stars premiere date?

For now, dedicated viewers can breathe a tentative sigh of relief, as CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl revealed to Deadline that everyone behind the scenes are doing their best to make sure the show goes on. But a we said before, there is no official premiere date.

“We still hope to have [Big Brother] on the air this summer,” Kahl told Deadline. “It could be a little later than usual but we’re still optimistic about getting those on. Those shows turn around pretty quickly. Big Brother has live shows every week and Love Island literally airs the night after it shoots. Those shows do not have long post processes.”

Us Weekly exclusively reported that CBS was initially contemplating a mid-July premiere date, but due to the increased spread of COVID-19 in California (where the show is filmed), the date was pushed back even further. This places us at a possible August air date.

TMZ also reported earlier this month that much of the hold-up is due to the network figuring out how the production crew will create a live, 24/7 TV show behind the scenes, while also social distancing. TMZ‘s “sources close to production” allege, “the crew members will reside in RVs by the set—otherwise known as the ‘Big Brother’ house—but will be swapped out monthly.”

Another promising sign? A fan account on Twitter was somehow able to score an aerial view of the Big Brother set, which seems to be under contruction.

Is Julie Chen Moonves returning for Big Brother 22?

Yes, y’all! The long-time host will be back because would it really be BB without Julie Chen Moonves? She even confirmed the news with an Insta post before last double-eviction episode.

“It’s Double Eviction Day! #ButFirst…” she said in a caption for a photo of herself which featured the words “#BB22 Summer 2020.”

Do we know who’s in the cast yet?

With rumors heavily indicating we should expect an All Stars season, the cast reveal is probably the most anticipated bit of news we’re waiting for. And since the BB community is particularly special, many spoiler accounts and dedicated fans have claimed to have insider intel on who has been contacted to return to the show.

And if we’re to believe the above tweet from Brent Wolgamott—a trusted member of the online BB community—we could possibly see Dan Gheesling (BB10 and BB14), Da’Vonne Rogers (BB17 and BB18), and Derrick Levasseur (BB16) all come back to compete. They’ve each publicly said they would not return to the show, but could that all just be smoke and mirrors? This is Big Brother we’re talking about, after all.

Us Weekly also reported that Janelle Pierzina (BB6), Frankie Grande (BB16), and Tyler Crispen (BB20) had all been contacted, but the cast isn’t official yet. The outlet quotes a source as saying, “Contracts are still be negotiated, but NDAs have gone out.”

And pro-tip? If you’re on Twitter, follow BB8 winner “Evel Dick” Donato @EvelDick for any potential spoilers. Though his tweets often stay true to his name, he consistently and unapologetically reveals insider information on the show.

One thing CBS has said is that they’ll actively look into addressing the show’s long-time diversity issues. During a particularly controversial BB21 that faced bullying and racism accusations, fans have pointed to production as the root of the issue, highlighting their casting choices and inaccurate editing of aired shows.

“We’ve heard things on the show that we’re not comfortable with, that we have not enjoyed hearing, and we will absolutely—after the season is over—take a look at the show,” Kahl said during a August press conference. “Every season we try to go back and look and ask if there’s anything we can do better next year, and that is something we will do after the season is over.”

When can I audition to be on Big Brother?

Sorry to say guys, but longtime casting director Robyn Kass announced on Twitter that the casting deadline for BB22 hit on April 3. But if you’d still like to keep updated on the show’s status, we suggest you follow her on Twitter @Kassting, as she keeps fans in-the-know with frequent updates.

What are fans saying about Big Brother 22?

Of course, Twitter super fans had plenty to say (or tweet) once the news of the upcoming season was confirmed last year.

There was also this idea of combining stars from other popular reality shows.

There was also this suggestion…

…and a possibly genius idea.

Before news even hit of the new season, Twitter user @melbrown00 produced his own impressive list of suggestions. The thread got over 1,000 likes, so if anything, it’s worth a quick read.

But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. With this show, we should always expect the unexpected.

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