Just when it seemed that all the secrets of Big Brother All-Stars other than the official cast were more or less known, we've just received another reminder to expect the unexpected. Another Big Brother winner has come out and confirmed they won't be a part of the upcoming season, and this time, it's someone who was rumored to be a part of the season from very early on.
A day before the premiere, Big Brother Season 19 winner Josh Martinez has confirmed he won't be a part of Big Brother All-Stars. Martinez made a statement on his Twitter page and addressed some of the speculation that has been floating around:
There’s been a lot of speculation about me being on this season of big brother Allstars. I can say that I will not be on this season. Many rumors have been said in the past few days about me that I couldn’t address but to be clear my health is great. Don’t believe everything you read online most of the rumors about me have been false. To be honest I’m bummed that I’m not on but couldn’t be more grateful with everyone over at CBS for always being so great, supportive, & being part of completely changing my life for the better. As a super fan I’m excited for this season and can’t wait to root for some of my good friends. Congrats to all the alum this szn and wishing all of them the best. I’m so hyped to enjoy the show as a fan & watch with all of you. Sending all of you good vibes.
The rumors Josh Martinez may be referring to started back during last week's casting reveal and interview delay, which was originally set to take place a week before the premiere. The rumor then was that one or more players had failed a COVID-19 test in quarantine, with Josh and Big Brother 20 winner Kaycee Clark floated as two possible names. To participate in Big Brother All-Stars, all players had to enter quarantine for a period ahead of entering the house and pass several tests to confirm they don't have the virus. The thought was the interviews didn't happen because one or more players had been removed from participation, and the show had to decide on alternate players and lock in casting.
All we can say is that Josh Martinez says he's healthy and that he can't share full details on the situation. It's worth noting these are the first posts Josh has made on Twitter since Wednesday, July 21st, a day before we first heard rumors that quarantine for the show had started. This was later confirmed by the official announcement, which stated all players were in quarantine two weeks before the premiere.
Josh Martinez said most of the rumors floating around about him are false, so is there more to the story? I have no doubt even the most reliable spoiler accounts don't have the full details, but it is worth noting that the rumors about contestants being eliminated due to COVID-19 are true. That much came from Julie Chen, who confirmed the news in an interview with CBSN Los Angeles.
Here's why I don't know the final list. Because we flew in a bunch of people, more than 16, and some people that I thought were definitely going in the house, they tested positive for COVID-19. So they could not go in.
With Josh Martinez and potentially more speculated players out, there's a good chance a lot of the speculated casting lists online are now out of wack. Obviously there's no shortage of former players to choose from, and we already know CBS had invited alternates to quarantine to prepare for this situation. Will the players we see be those no one expects because they've strategically scheduled some tweets to appear active, or possibly a player one wouldn't immediately consider an all-star?
It won't be much longer before we find out, as Big Brother All-Stars premieres on CBS Wednesday, August 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Stick with CinemaBlend for more updates all season long, and to read more on what's happening in television and movies.
