Julie Chen made quite the announcement on Thursday’s (September 7) episode of Big Brother. CBS is set to broadcast a celebrity edition of the hit reality series in early 2018.
“Big Brother has been dominating pop culture throughout its 19 seasons, and it is exciting to grow the franchise with the first-ever celebrity edition in the U.S.,” said executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan. “Celebrities will be under the watchful eye of the Big Brother cameras, facing the classic game elements, and of course new twists in this special winter event.”
Chen will serve as host. As with this current season, the 24/7 live stream of the U.S. version of Celebrity Big Brother will be available for Americans on CBS All Access. Pop TV will also broadcast Big Brother After Dark to viewers in the U.S. Slice usually airs this in Canada from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.
The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the celebrity edition of the show will feature multiple episodes a week during a “concentrated run.” Typically, a season of Big Brother lasts three months.
A U.K. version of Celebrity Big Brother first aired in 2001 and has included Pamela Anderson, Gary Busey, Stephen Baldwin, Perez Hilton, as well as The Hills’ Spencer and Heidi Pratt.
In addition to the celebrity winter edition, Big Brother will be back for its 20th season in Summer 2018. CBS previously aired a winter version of Big Brother in 2008 during the writer’s strike. Big Brother: Over the Top aired last fall on CBS All Access.
Stay tuned for casting information and premiere details. Global has yet to announce the pick up as the Canadian network also has plans to air the sixth season of Big Brother Canada in 2018 (casting is already underway).
The 19th season of Big Brother continues to air Sundays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Global and CBS. You can read this season’s exit interviews here.
