The executive producers behind Big Brother have explained why Season 28 is leaning into major changes, including bringing in well-known Survivor players to shake up the game.
After the season premiere on Thursday, July 9, 2026, viewers quickly began discussing the decision to move away from the show’s usual formula and introduce crossover reality stars into the cast, all as part of a larger “Time Trip” theme designed to keep the game unpredictable from the start.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, showrunners Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan outlined the thinking behind those additions.
The move follows the strong response to a previous season that featured Survivor favorite Cirie Fields, which convinced producers that experienced reality competitors could have a big impact inside the house.
Working with Survivor casting director Jesse Tannenbaum, the production team chose standout names they believed could immediately disrupt the dynamic among the new players.
“We want people that wanna come and play the game, and they’re not here just to be on TV,” Meehan explained, taking a subtle swipe at standard influencer-type casting.
“Not every show puts people on with the same motivation, but when we’re looking at who we wanna put on, that’s first and foremost what we wanna do.”
The producers said they were especially interested in people with a proven grasp of strategy, deception, and social gameplay, which made Rick Devens and another Survivor alum strong options. Devens, who first came to fame on Survivor: Edge of Extinction and later returned for Survivor 50, has already entered the house as one of the most high-profile additions to the cast. The second Survivor player was also brought into the season as part of the same twist, reinforcing the show’s push toward more veteran-heavy gameplay.
“He’s a strategist and he’s creative,” Grodner shared when breaking down the decision to secure Devens for the summer. “If we’re looking for someone to stir things up, do some things unexpected, it felt like he was a really good fit.”
According to Grodner and Meehan, the broader goal is to prevent the game from settling into familiar patterns too early, pushing the houseguests into a more intense and fast-moving competition from the start.
By adding contestants who already know how to manage pressure and outmaneuver opponents, the show is aiming to raise the stakes and create a more volatile house environment. Season 28 is also expanding the franchise’s footprint with longer weekly episodes and the return of Big Brother: Unlocked, giving fans more ways to follow the game as it unfolds.
With live feeds now underway and the cast reacting to the veteran arrivals in real time, that plan is already starting to play out.
If the producers’ early comments are any indication, this season is being set up as one of the most unpredictable runs the series has had.
New episodes of Big Brother air on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on CBS, with premiere-week installments starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes are also available to stream on Paramount+.