Big Brother Season 28 Adds 2 Hawaii-Tied Contestants as July 9 Premiere Nears

Q: With surprise houseguests teased, will Big Brother legends return to disrupt the game?

Yes—there is a strong chance returning reality-TV veterans, and possibly “Big Brother” alumni, will appear as the teased surprise houseguests, but CBS has not officially confirmed names. CBS has announced 14 initial houseguests for “Big Brother 28” and said additional surprise houseguests will be revealed during the July 9 premiere. That wording, combined with the season’s “Time Trip” theme and the show’s 1,000th primetime episode, has fueled expectations that past players could be folded into the game to shake up alliances early. Reporting and fan speculation point to several possible returnees. Names circulating include former “Big Brother” player Elissa Reilly Slater and Season 26 alum Angela Murray. Entertainment Weekly has also reported that “Survivor” standout Rick Devens is expected, with online speculation about another former “Survivor” player, possibly Dee Valladares. If that proves accurate, the disruption may come not only from “Big Brother legends” but also from crossover reality competitors. What is confirmed is that the premiere is being positioned as more than a standard cast launch. CBS has promised early twists, new powers and a format where “past, present and future collide,” which supports the idea that veteran players could be part of the mechanism. So the short answer is: likely yes, but not yet verified. Viewers will need to wait for the premiere to know whether the surprise entrants are true “Big Brother” legends, crossover stars, or both.

3 articles · Updated · Hawaii News Now · Jul 7

Lyric Medeiros and Kamu Kirk were announced as Hawaii-linked houseguests for CBS's “Big Brother” Season 28, which opens with a 90-minute premiere on July 9.
Medeiros was introduced in an Instagram video featuring hula dancing and described as bringing “ALOHA spirit”; she is a TikTok influencer with more than 600,000 followers and the daughter of singer Glenn Medeiros.
Kirk, 32, is an MMA fighter born in Hawaii, giving the new cast a second contestant with island ties.
Season 28 will place contestants in a “time trip” house, with rooms and competitions themed around different decades, airing on CBS and Paramount Plus.