Has 'Big Brother' Season 28 announced its 2026 cast? Major format change explained
Yes, 'Big Brother' Season 28 has announced its 2026 cast, but CBS has only revealed the first group of house guests so far. The network introduced 14 contestants through a YouTube event called 'Big Brother: Broveal' before the Thursday premiere. The reveal came with another change for the season, as 'Big Brother' is also bringing live feeds and fan experiences to YouTube for the first time. Entertainment Weekly reported that more surprise house guests will still be revealed on air, so the announced list should not be treated as the final, complete cast yet.
The announced 'Big Brother' Season 28 houseguests are Ashley Trail, 24, a bartender from Alton, Illinois, who now lives in Chicago; Barrett Pfeiffer, 27, a Jumbotron engineer from Benton, Arkansas, who now lives in Austin; Chuck Anyanwu, 27, a supply chain analyst from Dallas; and Drew Campbell, 22, a surgical dental assistant from Temecula, California. The list also includes Haley Thogmartin, 29, a telemedicine executive from Neosho, Missouri, who now lives in Wildwood; Jason De Puy, 35, a drag queen from San Francisco who now lives in West Hollywood; Kamuela "Kamu" Kirk, 32, an MMA fighter from Phoenix; and LaTrice Verrett, 57, a boutique salesperson from Kankakee, Illinois, who now lives in Maplewood, New Jersey.
The rest of the first announced group includes Lyric Medeiros, 25, an attorney from Honolulu; Mallory Aurichio, 24, a rocket scientist from Township of Washington, New Jersey; Melody Morris, 24, a corporate game show host from Thornton, Colorado, who now lives in Maricopa, Arizona; Rome Seymour, 28, a pickleball coach from Traverse City, Michigan, who now lives in Delray Beach, Florida; Taylor Brown, 27, an elementary school counselor from Deerfield Beach, Florida; and Yash Patel, 24, a financial analyst from Monroe Township, New Jersey.
One familiar face in the announced cast is Jason De Puy, who competed on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 15 and 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Season 11 under the stage name Salina EsTitties. The casting gives Season 28 its first RuPaul's 'Drag Race' crossover and adds one known Paramount reality TV face to a group made up mostly of new players. Lyric Medeiros also brings another pop culture connection because she is the daughter of Glenn Medeiros, the singer known for his '80s hit 'Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You.' The rest of the cast offers a wide range of jobs, including a rocket scientist, an MMA fighter, a Jumbotron engineer, a pickleball coach, and a corporate game show host.
The format change is tied to how fans will follow the season outside the CBS episodes. According to The U.S. Sun, the show is adding more content and fan experiences on YouTube as part of the Season 28 rollout. The platform was used for the 'Broveal' cast announcement, where Julie Chen Moonves introduced the house guests and gave viewers a look at the 'Big Brother: Time Trip' theme. Live feeds will also be available on YouTube from July 10 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, though CBS has said they will only be available there for limited periods after episodes.
The live feeds will still be available through Paramount+ and Pluto TV, which remain the main options for viewers who want to follow the house beyond the edited broadcasts. The YouTube addition is still notable because 'Big Brother' has not used the platform this way before. It gives casual viewers another way to sample the season and follow post-episode updates without relying only on CBS or Paramount+. The change also comes as Season 28 prepares to mark a franchise milestone, with 'Big Brother' set to reach its 1,000th original episode during the season.
The cast reveal does not close the door on more names entering the house. EW reported that CBS has said "additional surprise house guests will be revealed on air," which means the Thursday premiere could still change the player lineup. That would follow a familiar 'Big Brother' pattern, as past seasons have used premiere-night twists to bring in known reality TV names or returning franchise figures. Season 25 brought in 'Survivor' legend Cirie Fields, while Season 27 surprised viewers with former Big Brother winner Rachel Reilly, meaning the full player lineup may not be known until the premiere airs.
'Big Brother' Season 28 premieres on Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS with a 90-minute episode. 'Big Brother: Unlocked' premieres on Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with Taylor Hale, Derrick Levasseur, and Jerry O'Connell analyzing the game. The live feeds begin later that night on Paramount+, Pluto TV, and YouTube. Following premiere week, Big Brother episodes will air on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, while 'Big Brother: Unlocked' will air Fridays, with streaming available through Paramount+.
