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WhenBig Brotherpremiered on CBS in July 2000, it was unlike any reality series that had been on American television before, with a live stream of the contestants playing the game available to viewers twenty-four hours a day. Based on the Dutch series of the same name,Big Brotherhas gone on to be a staple for CBS, with new seasons airing each summer for the last twenty-four years. Hosted byJulie Chen Moonves, the show follows contestants, called HouseGuests, as they live in an isolated home and compete in social and physical competitions to win a prize of $750,000. One by one, HouseGuests are evicted, ending their time in the competition. Until their departure from the show, these contestants are monitored every moment of their three-month-long stay in theBig Brotherhouse, where fans can watch them eat, sleep, and interact with their fellow players.
Season 26 ofBig Brotheris introducinga new twist to the game, with the theme of Artificial Intelligence blanketing its entire three-month run. No stranger to digging into pop culture themes, this season ofBig Brotherhas picked quite the controversial topic to take over their new season. Fans have mixed reactions about this new added layer, with some hoping it doesn’t interfere too much with the gameplay, while others are excited to see what extra twists and turns thisBig BrotherAI character will have in store. Reminiscent of the “new era"Survivorushered in with Season 41, time will tell how this will affect a game likeBig Brotherthat has been on air for almost nine-hundred episodes. For all the information we know about the premiere ofBig BrotherSeason 26, check out the answers to the big questions below.
Big Brother
Contestants must compete against each other for a chance to win $500,000 in a house wired with cameras and microphones, capturing their every move for a TV and Internet audience.
When Does ‘Big Brother’ Season 26 Premiere?
Big BrotherSeason 26 is getting a two-night premiere. The first episode will air on Wednesday, July 17, and the second on Thursday, July 18. Both premiere episodes will air at 9:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
Will ‘Big Brother’ Season 26 Be on Streaming?
All episodes ofBig BrotherSeason 26 will be simulcast to those with Paramount+ SHOWTIME subscriptions. Fans with regular Paramount+ accounts can catch the episodes streaming on Paramount+ the day after they air.
In addition to new episodes, the live feed of theBig Brotherhouse will be available to fans twenty-four hours a day from the season’s premiere in July to its completion in October. This feed will be available on Paramount+, with a free viewing option with commercials on Pluto TV.
Subscriptions for Paramount+ start at $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year, and go up to $11.99 a month or $119.99 a year, depending on the plan.
Watch the Trailer for ‘Big Brother’ Season 26
While there is no official trailer forBig BrotherSeason 26, the show released a tour of the Season 26Big BrotherHouse on their official YouTube channel, giving fans a peek into the setting of the upcoming season. The house is filled with funky furniture, comfy couches, and, of course, lots and lots of cameras. For a look at the Season 26Big Brotherhouse, check out the sneak peek below.
What is the ‘Big Brother’ Season 26 Episode Schedule?
So far, only the first three episode dates forBig BrotherSeason 26 have officially been announced, with Episode 1 premiering on July 17, Episode 2 premiering on July 18, and Episode 3 premiering on July 22, 2025. However, the show plans on releasing its episodes per its usual formula on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, with the twenty-four-hour live stream available on Paramount+.
Three Shows Like ‘Big Brother’ You Can Watch Right Now
For more game shows that involve contestants living together with lots of strategic social game play, check out the three options below.
‘Celebrity Big Brother’ (2018-)
A spin-off that first premiered in 2018,Celebrity Big Brotherputs a fun twist on the classicBig Brotherformat with a cast of HouseGuests made up of some familiar faces. Based on the UK spin-off of the same name that premiered in 2001, Celebrity Big Brother had few changes from its source material, shortening the length of gameplay from three months to one and lowering the cash prize to a still impressive $250,000. Hosted by longtime emcee Julie Chen Moonves, the series has had quite theentertaining rotation of HouseGuestsover its three seasons, including actorJonathan Bennett(Mean Girls), hostCarson Kressley(Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), musicianMark McGrath, comedianTom Green, and television personalityRoss Matthews(RuPaul’s Drag Race). With some seriously scandalous moments and some unbelievable votes, you may watch all episodes ofCelebrity Big Brotherstreaming on Paramount+
WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+
The Traitors (2023-)
Set in a stunning castle, featuring incredible fashion, and made up of a cast of reality show veterans,The Traitorshas it all. Based a the Dutch reality series calledDe Verraders,The Traitorshas become a phenomenon since its premiere on Peacock in 2023. Based on the popular party game ‘Mafia,‘The Traitorsmarks a small group of its players as “Traitors,” who must work together in secret with the ultimate goal of eliminating their fellow contestants to win the grand prize. Hosted by the incredibleAlan Cumming(Cabaret), the series takes place in a gorgeous, sprawling mansion that looks right out of anAgatha Christienovel or a game ofClue. Contestants in the upcoming Season 3 includeSurvivor’sCarolyn Wiger,Jeremy Collins,Tony Vlachos, andRob Mariano,RuPaul’s Drag RacewinnerBob The Drag Queen, andTheBachelorettealumGabby Windey, with additional cast members hailing from shows likeSelling Sunset,Big Brother, and theReal Housewivesfranchise. You can find all episodes of Season 1 and Season 2 ofThe Traitorsstreaming on Peacock.
WATCH ON PEACOCK
Survivor (2000-)
Another long-time CBS staple,Survivorpremiered in 2000 and has been a hit ever since, with kids who grew up watching the series now appearing as contestants on the show. The premise is simple but incredibly difficult: castaways live together in assigned “tribes” on an island in Fiji, where they vote each other out one by one until they are left with one sole survivor. While certain elements of the game have changed over time, including the addition of hidden immunity idols, special journeys, and aSurvivorsanctuary, longtime hostJeff Probstremains at the helm of what continues to be a very popular reality show. There have been some unforgettable moments in the franchise, from impossible-to-forget villains to epic heroes and every kind of player in between. Afterthe controversy surrounding the Season 46 finale, fans look forward to seeing what the upcoming Season 27, which premieres on CBS in September, has in store. With Season 50, which will include returning players, you can catch up on all episodes ofSurvivorstreaming on Paramount+.
