Audrey Middleton was one of Big Brother 17’s most controversial houseguests. It was less her status as the series’ first openly transgender houseguest than her tendency to play the game hard early on. She was one of the first contestants booted, and as Big Brother Network recalled, basically went into hibernation as her eviction seemed inevitable.
Given her short but colorful history with the program, it isn’t surprising that rumors are swirling about an Audrey Middleton return in Big Brother 18 . But as a coach? That is precisely what Reality Blurred is reporting the weekend before the new cast is set to be announced on Monday.
What’s the twist? According to Reality Blurred , it’s a return to the Season 14 coaches storyline, although it may be called something else. In that year, prominent players from Big Brother’s past returned to lead new players through the game. Eventually, the coaches entered the game as contestants. But it was a newbie, Ian Terry, who eventually took home the big prize. His is the second name floated by Reality Blurred as a returning personality.
A tweet sent out by Terry today implies he’s actually in Europe — in other words, out of town and not sequestered. Or so he says.
“Vacationing in Greece” is the new “(actually) vacationing in Greece”, so to speak. #BB18
— Ian Terry (@TulaneTerry) June 10, 2016
Audrey isn’t the only Season 17 contestant who might be stepping back into the Big Brother house. There’s also a rumor that one woman who came close to winning it all last year will return, as will a former houseguest who has already categorically denied he’s coming back.
Poker player Vanessa Rousso came in third last year behind winner Steve Moses and runner-up Liz Nolan. In the season finale, Moses won the last Head of Household and took Nolan to the final two instead of Rousso. During his speech, when he evicted the professional gambler, Moses called Rousso one of Big Brother’s greatest players. Rousso revealed her status as a million-dollar winning poker star to her former houseguests at the finale, something she hid throughout her three months inside the house.
Derrick Levasseur won Big Brother 16 after spending the entire season hiding his true identity as a police officer. He told his fellow players he was a parks and recreation manager, and no one ever questioned it. Meanwhile, he used his investigative skills to sail to the $500,000 prize. If he were to return as a player, it would be hard for him to use that strategy a second time.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Levasseur told the Hollywood Reporter that he wouldn’t be back for Big Brother 18 . Interviewed along with former players Danielle Reyes, Rachel Reilly, and Jason Roy, the cop weighed in on the possibility of returning houseguests. He was categorical that he would not be among them.
“I’ll go on record and say I will not be on ‘Big Brother’ this season.”
That statement seems to leave little wiggle room, implying he won’t be part of the season as either a coach or a contestant. But Derrick’s status might have changed in the days since that interview was conducted. It was published on May 24, 2016.
Levasseur also said there would never be a season with former winners unless it was an all-star season where all the contestants are past winners. If Derrick is correct, that would eliminate himself and Terry. But past winners have come back to play the game. In Season 14, Terry won over Dan Gheesling, who won Season 10 and started Season 14 as a coach. Winner Jordan Lloyd was back in Season 13 as part of the duos twist. Mike “Boogie” Malin, who won the first all-stars season, was also part of Season 14.
CBS will make the official cast announcement on Monday, June 13. Big Brother 18 debuts Wednesday, June 22 on the network.
[Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images]