‘Big Brother’ Season 22 Still In The Works, CBS ‘Optimistic’ About Return Of Annual Reality Show This Summer

Big Brother is still part of CBS’ lineup for this summer. The long-running reality show is still expected to air this year despite the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down most television and movie productions, Deadline reported.

CBS Entertainment chief Kelly Kahl told the outlet that the network hopes to air new seasons of the reality shows Big Brother and Love Island this summer, even if the former show has a slightly later premiere date than usual.

“It could be a little later than usual but we’re still optimistic about getting those on,” Kahl said.

“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.”

Big Brother typically starts airing at the end of June and runs through mid-September. The show, which has been hosted by Julie Chen since its debut in the summer of 2000, takes up a large chunk of CBS’ primetime summertime schedule. Big Brother airs three times per week, with one show airing live on Thursdays nights.

The Big Brother house is located in Los Angeles, where a lockdown remains in place. Deadline notes the show would likely not be able to begin production until at least mid to late summer. Once the contestants are moved to the Big Brother house, they have no contact with the outside world and are essentially quarantined until they are voted out of the game.

2020 marks Big Brother’s 20th anniversary, which has some fans thinking the network will pull out all of the stops when it does return. Some fans have been hoping for some sort of all-stars season, which would bring back past contestants to compete for the $500,000 grand prize.

In March, Big Brother casting calls were canceled across the country due to the health pandemic, but hopeful contestants urged to apply to the show online. Big Brother casting director Robyn Kass later took to Twitter to reveal the application process was closed and no more applications would be accepted.

In comments on the Big Brother Instagram page, fans have been vocal about the return of the annual summertime reality show, with some fearing the pandemic would doom the chances of the show airing this summer.

“Maybe Let everyone self-quarantine 2 weeks prior to filming! Please don’t cancel our favorite show!!!” one fan wrote.

“Find another city and house that doesn’t have the stay-at-home order and hold the season there!” another suggested.