CBS had only just begun to give audiences answers regarding Big Brother All-Stars, but now it seems the slow drip of information is already drying up. The live feeds page was seemingly teasing that the cast would be introduced and interviewed on Wednesday, July 29. However, that imagery was pulled as of Monday, and now there are rumblings of troubling behind-the-scenes issues that could indicate a possible postponement if things are really bad.
The word is that the casting interviews have been postponed because the contestant list has not been solidified as of yet. No one seems to definitively know why, though fans have speculated that one or more of the potential housemates that are said to be in quarantine has tested positive for COVID-19. This may stem from rumors of Season 19 winner Josh Martinez being a part of the season, though he was seen in a video partying in Miami in a crowded night club a couple of weeks ago. It logically tracks that a COVID diagnosis would force one or more casting changes, though it should be made clear that there are no confirmations at this point that anyone is sick.
What does seem to be true is that CBS wants trip up and box out online spoiler accounts so that they can't teasing any more information about the season than what has already leaked out so far. Several accounts, including the popular @rbbq, have attested to the fact that CBS is now trying harder to keep secrets from getting out.
It would be interesting if CBS execs are suddenly a lot less happy with spoilers coming out now, as opposed to when the rumor mill was working overtime in the last six weeks. Perhaps it's indicative of a more recent incident that the network would rather not go public even if in an unconfirmed state, such as a contestant being removed over something controversial, or for health-related reasons. It's worth noting that CBS did announce there are alternate players on standby should any of the first-dibs contestant prove ineligible, though it's not clear whether or not they were already put in the same quarantine conditions as the confirmed players.
This drama comes amid the fandom trying to figure out what happened behind the scenes with Nicole Franzel that has players like Derrick Levasseur all worked up. Derrick only made the situation more confusing by dispelling the currently popular rumor she had him kicked off Big Brother All-Stars for arguably immoral "pre-gaming," but then also confirming he's not happy with her. Other former players like Andy Herren have added to the chaos by meme-ing about the moment, though it seems like anyone in the know won't or can't tell the real story. (Perhaps due to signed NDAs.)
As of this writing, Big Brother is still planning to have its premiere on CBS on Wednesday, August 5, so it's possible whatever postponed the cast announcement can be fixed without the need to delay the entire season. Of course, CBS didn't officially confirm the existence of Big Brother All-Stars until scant weeks before its premiere, so it stands to reason they could push back the release in the eleventh hour as well.
As mentioned, CBS is planning a two-hour premiere for Big Brother All-Stars on Wednesday, August 5, with a live move-in special at 9:00 p.m. ET. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on the series, and more happening in the world of television and movies.
