'Big Brother' season 21: Release date, plot, cast, trailer and everything you need to know about the controversial CBS show

Julie Chen Moonves resumes her iconic role as the host for 'Big Brother' season 21 and the show is set to have a two-day premiere event on June 25

'Big Brother' will return with its new season this June following a controversial break. The fate of the show seemed uncertain at the end of season 20 last summer, after Les Moonves, CEO of CBS, stepped down from his position following numerous accusations of sexual assault.

But it is back and running as Moonves wife, Julie Chen Moonves, resumes her iconic role as the host of 'Big Brother' for the 19th year.  Here is everything we know about Big Brother Season 21:

Release date

'Big Brother' season 21 will premiere on June 25, but it will be a two-night event, with the show carrying over to June 26, at its usual airtime of 8 pm ET

Plot

The series follows a group of contestants, known as the HouseGuests, who live together in a custom-built home under constant surveillance. The HouseGuests are completely cut off from the outside world and can have no communication. The HouseGuests are evicted from the house on a weekly basis and the winner takes home a $500,000 grand prize.

Cast

The cast is unknown as of yet but CBS has the pressure to pick socially well-behaved individuals especially after a number of guests in the past were accused of being racist and sexist. This article will be updated when the casts are announced. 

Creator

John de Mol attends the ProSiebenSat 1 Summertime at Alte Kongresshalle on July 20, 2011, in Munich, Germany. (Getty Images)

The US 'Big Brother' was based on an originally Dutch TV series of the same name created by producer John de Mol in 1997. The Dutch media tycoon is one of the men behind production companies Endemol and Talpa and is worth about US$ 1.5 billion. Besides 'Big Brother,' de Mol also produced 'The Voice', 'Fear Factor', 'Love Letters' and 'Deal or No Deal'.

News

Julie Chen Moonves, the longstanding host of 'Big Brother', will officially return for season 21. Her speculated return to the show comes after allegations involving her husband, Les Moonves. Chen made a statement in support of her husband, but quit her role as a co-host of 'The Talk'. Her husband stepped down from his position as the Chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation in September 2018, after numerous allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. 

Trailers

CBS dropped their first promo teaser for 'Big Brother' without giving the slightest hint of when it's premiering and who all are the HouseGuests. The teaser just had the voiceover hyping fans to get ready for a house full of total strangers.  But the second teaser, which dropped on May 21 has a little more information on the premiere date and offers glimpses of the HouseGuests.



 

Where to watch

The summer reality series will return with hourlong episodes on June 25 and 26 at 8 pm on CBS. Following the two-night premiere, 'Big Brother' will air on Sunday, June 30 at 8 pm with its regular three-weekly-episode format.

Season 20 recap

Kaycee Clark won 'Big Brother' season 20 (CBS)

California native Kaycee Clark won season 20. She became the first openly lesbian winner in the show's 20-year history. However, even before her win, the season 20 finale already marked the first time two gay contestants, Clark and JC Mounduix, who made it all the way through to the final round.

If you liked this, you'll love these

'The Amazing Race'

'The Survivor'

'The Bachelor'

'The Real World'

'The Challenge'

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Monica White embarked on a relationship with Anthony Robinson in 2020, and a year later, he was arrested for murders
6 hours ago
After years of uncertainty, a major update suggests the long-delayed third chapter of ‘Sicario 3’ is finally moving closer to cameras
16 hours ago
'Stranger Things: Tales from '85' season two will arrive in fall with a new challenge for HIC
16 hours ago
The eight-episode true-crime comedy brings back Skyler Gisondo and several Daily Planet characters.
18 hours ago
Season 3 teaser previews another shift at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center ahead of the medical drama’s January 2027 return.
1 day ago
Taylor Sheridan planned to retire after ‘Yellowstone,’ but this major reason made him continue his career in Hollywood.
1 day ago
Episode 5 introduces Bert’s new love interest as the group enters a universe where relationships and possessions are shared.
1 day ago
NBC's new fall drama drops one family into four competing loyalties at once, with Peter Krause making a comeback.
1 day ago
With only two episodes left in Season 3, Per Stensen's confession reframes why the silos exist in the first place
1 day ago
‘Chicago Fire’ Season 15 will debut on October 7 with new probies joining the Truck 81 gang
1 day ago