'Big Brother' recap: Nicole Anthony wins PoV and saves Cliff Hogg, Holly Allen goes up for eviction

Big Brother featured Nicole Anthony winning the Power of Veto and using it on Cliff Hogg, forcing the Head of Household, Jackson Michie, to nominate his girlfriend Holly Allen for eviction during Wednesday night's Season 21 episode on CBS.


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Big Brother 21 - Episode 34

The Big Brother broadcast began on Day 80 with Tommy and Cliff sitting next to each other on the chopping block.

Jackson said Tommy was his target and Cliff was his pawn because he had a Final 4 alliance with Cliff, Nicole and Holly.

Michie, however, knew everything would ultimately come down to the Power of Veto competition, and so he noted there was no room for error.


Tommy had every intention of putting his best effort into the competition because he figured it would be his only chance of staying.

Holly told Tommy that she was "rooting for" him, but he definitely felt alone in the game. Holly vented about how she always loved Tommy but just didn't trust his closest ally, Christie Murphy.

When Jackson joined their conversation, Holly said Christie might be a sociopath because she seemed to fully believe her wild lies since she always said them with such passion. Holly wondered whether Christie was delusional, adding that she was "bossy and nuts."

"But maybe I'm the mean girl for not understanding her... but I don't fault you for being loyal to her and sticking by her side," Holly said.

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Michie explained Christie's word "meant nothing in this game" because she had never stayed true to her promises.

Tommy didn't appreciate Holly and Jackson talking about Christie, but he needed the pair on his side and so he played along and admitted to the couple he had known Christie before the Big Brother season even began.

Tommy explained Christie's ex-girlfriend is a member of his family and they had dated for about seven years.

Tommy said he and Christie celebrated Christmas before together and everything, and so he explained it was hard for him because he felt he had to stick by her side and help her through the game.

Holly and Jackson were completely shocked but said everything made sense in that moment. They were impressed Tommy and Christie were able to keep that secret for so long, and they seemed to feel closer to Tommy than ever.


"That conversation could've gone one of two ways... Michie and Holly could really trust me now and understand where I was coming from and want to work with me going forward or... they could see me as the biggest threat in this house and need to take a shot at me now," Tommy said in the Diary Room.

Jackson said Tommy's revelation guarantees him Christie's vote and so there's no way he'd want to sit next to him in the Final 2. Jackson therefore said he needed to get Tommy out next without a doubt.

Everyone was going into the competition with a do-or-die mentality. Cliff said in a pep talk he'd continue to fight for the PoV even if his heart exploded.

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It then became time for the Power of Veto competition, and each houseguest was required to fly down a zipline and observe a set of 10 BB Comics hanging inside a studio with windows.


The goal was for the players to notice tiny details of each comic and then place them in the correct order on a wall in the fastest amount of time.

The competition was tricky, however, because some of the comics were fake and nearly looked identical to the originals.

Everyone poured their heart into the competition, but in the end, Nicole won the veto with a time of 10 minutes and 58 seconds.

Tommy finished in second place with 14 minutes and 21 seconds, while Michie placed third with a time of 15 minutes and 59 seconds. Cliff and Holly were way behind, with Holly finishing in last place with a time of over 38 minutes.

Cliff said Nicole had underestimated herself and cleared a path to the Final 4. Cliff was so proud of her, and Nicole couldn't believe she had pulled that off.


Jackson thought Nicole would keep nominations the same since Tommy was on the block and he was everyone's target, but Nicole had plans to use her veto on Cliff and guarantee him a Final 4 spot.

Jackson celebrated Nicole's win, but suddenly, he realized Holly would be the only possible replacement nominee if Nicole chose to use her veto on Cliff -- and the pair could backdoor Holly.

Jackson didn't think Nicole would follow through with such a devious plan, but he said it made perfect sense and would actually be the smart decision to make. Nicole could separate Michie and Holly and then go to the Final 3 with Tommy and Cliff.

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"On paper, this is an opportune time for them to really increase their chances of winning," Jackson told Holly.

Jackson wasn't really concerned Nicole and Cliff would do that, but he was just bothered by the fact they could do it.


"Do I think Cliff and Nicole would ever do that to us? No, honestly. For the first time in this game, I can confidently say that I trust them," Michie told the cameras.

Holly, however, was freaking out.

Meanwhile, Nicole and Cliff discussed whether they should send Holly or Tommy out the door when the time comes. Cliff suggested they should get rid of Tommy because Holly hadn't done much in the game and they could beat her.

"I think Tommy is so much more dangerous than Holly... the tradeoff is then you have a showmance that you know will [continue] to watch out for each other," Cliff told Nicole.

Nicole then told Jackson that she'd like to use the veto save Cliff but "no funny business" was happening.

Nicole knew she shouldn't pass up the opportunity to break up a showmance in Big Brother, and so she wanted to give herself that option come the live eviction.


Jackson told Nicole to "go for it" and acted like nothing was wrong. He didn't want Holly on the block, but he still trusted Nicole and Cliff and didn't think the pair would "do [him] dirty."

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Nicole's plan would also allow herself to remain on Tommy's good side going forward. Nicole told Tommy that she really wanted him in the house and so he should campaign and she'd "try to work some magic."

Tommy didn't want to give his hopes up, but he told Nicole he would love her support.

Nicole told Tommy that Holly and Jackson wouldn't defend or take up arms for any of them, and so she didn't want to stick her neck out for the showmance. Tommy also reminded Nicole that Jackson was "the toughest competitor in the house."

Nicole then tried to explain to Cliff why keeping Tommy would be beneficial to both of their games.


Nicole explained if either Holly or Jackson won the final HoH competition, they'd definitely take each other to the end and that would mean Nicole or Cliff wouldn't be in the equation.

Nicole wanted Cliff and herself to be the only duo left in the game, but Cliff was afraid of competing against Tommy.

It then became time for the Veto Meeting. Nicole used the golden Power of Veto on Cliff, and then Holly was forced to sit on the chopping block.

"I didn't think she'd see the block at all, and I definitely didn't think she'd see it on my HoH, but Holly, take a seat," Michie announced.

Nicole gushed about how "little old Nicole" had made a big move, and she was so excited to make it to Final 4.

"I don't think anyone else in the house wants it as bad as I do... It's a dream and I'm living the dream, and I hope it comes true in the end because I want it so freakin' bad," Nicole told the cameras.


Tommy was ready to do everything it takes to convince Cliff and Nicole to keep him in the game over Holly, and Holly was well aware this was a "terrifying" possibility.

Cliff acknowledged he potentially had a $500,000 decision ahead of him to make.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski