Levi Banks Exits Big Brother Season 28 Before Filming, Backing Yash Patel for $750,000 Prize

Q: He says he quit, but sources say he was fired for leaks. What's the truth behind the Big Brother casting shake-up?

The verified record points to Levi Banks leaving *Big Brother* voluntarily, while the “fired for leaks” claim remains unconfirmed insider reporting. Banks said in an Instagram video that he backed out just before filming because the show was “not the right fit” for him personally. That account is supported by CBS: a network spokesperson told *Entertainment Weekly* that Banks “did indeed choose to leave the show.” Banks also said he remains on good terms with CBS and *Big Brother* and is back home in North Carolina. The competing version comes from unnamed production sources cited by *The U.S. Sun*. Those sources alleged Banks was “pulled” at the last minute after information about him leaked before the official cast reveal, creating what they described as a confidentiality breach and loss of trust. According to that report, alternate Yash Patel was then moved into the cast. What is firmly established is that Banks completed the casting process, entered sequester, and was replaced very late, with fans noticing differences in Patel’s promo rollout. Banks’ photo was also removed from the show’s materials. Without an on-record CBS statement about any leak or contract breach, the leak explanation cannot be treated as proven fact. The most defensible reading is that there was a last-minute casting change, officially described by both Banks and CBS as a voluntary exit, while allegations that he was effectively fired over leaks remain plausible but unverified.

3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jul 10

Levi Banks said he withdrew from Big Brother Season 28 just before move-in day, announcing in an Instagram video that he is already back home in North Carolina.
Banks said the CBS reality series was "not the right fit" for him personally, adding that he remains on good terms with the network, the show and its team.
Yash Patel appears to have taken Banks' place in the cast, while Banks said he plans to watch from home when the new season premieres Thursday.
Season 28 opens with a 90-minute episode at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with houseguests competing for a $750,000 cash prize.