Big Brother's Season 22 all-stars cast has reportedly begun to leak out as houseguests have arrived on-location and started quarantining to ensure they'll be COVID-19 negative when they enter the Big Brother house.
ADVERTISEMENT
A number of former Big Brother houseguests arrived in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday and are currently in quarantine in preparation for appearing on the show, TMZ reported.
RELATED LINK: 'BIG BROTHER' SHOWMANCES NOW: WHO'S STILL TOGETHER? WHICH COUPLES HAVE SPLIT UP?? (PHOTOS)
However, not every houseguest that is currently in quarantine will reportedly end up competing on Season 22 of Big Brother as the group includes some houseguests who are alternate cast members and will only compete on the season if a non-alternate houseguest fails to test negative for coronavirus before the cast enters the Big Brother house.
TMZ reported the identities of nine of the Big Brother houseguests who are currently in quarantine: Season 8 runner-up Daniele Donato, Season 12 winner Hayden Moss, Season 14 winner Ian Terry, Season 18 alum Paulie Calafiore, Season 18 winner Nicole Franzel, Season 19 winner Josh Martinez, Season 20 runner-up Tyler Crispen, Season 20 alum Bayleigh Dayton, and three-time Big Brother houseguest Janelle Pierzina.
ADVERTISEMENT
In addition to winning Big Brother 18, Nicole also competed on Season 16.
As for Janelle, she appeared on Seasons 6, 7, and 14 of Big Brother. She finished her first two seasons in third place but got evicted from BB14 pretty early on since she was viewed as a threat.
TMZ did not clarify if any of the nine returning Big Brother houseguests it identified are alternate cast members.
Big Brother is expected to begin filming next month after the two-week quarantine period ends.
Last week, TMZ reported that similar to how Season 22's houseguests will be isolated during their time in the Big Brother house, the show's crew will also work in a bubble of their own to ensure everyone's health and safety during production.
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED LINK: 'SURVIVOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO'S STILL TOGETHER?! WHICH SHOWMANCES SPLIT UP? (PHOTOS)
Big Brother's production team will reportedly be living in RVs parked near the Big Brother "house" -- which is built inside a large Hollywood soundstage building -- and be swapped out monthly during the course of filming.
The sources said the plan is for the crew to work and live on-location for a month and then take two weeks off followed by two weeks in quarantine.
After the two-week quarantine period, the crew will be able to resume work and continue the same pattern again over the course of about three months until filming wraps.
Although Big Brother's houseguests don't directly interact with producers and crew members during the season, the production team -- who work in close quarters within the show's control room and the show's set -- does come in and out of the house and backyard to set up competitions, delivery supplies, and perform other upkeep.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, the cast is cut off from the outside world during the game, so their risk of contracting coronavirus while inside the Big Brother house will be very low.
Although identities of potential BB cast members are now leaking out, CBS has yet to make any official casting announcement.
Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves is reportedly returning as host, but it's unclear whether she will be part of the same bubble system on the set.
RELATED LINK: 'THE AMAZING RACE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
Preliminary production prep on Big Brother's set began in early July, according to Deadline, with everyone practicing social distancing and wearing the appropriate personal and protective equipment.
ADVERTISEMENT
Big Brother typically premieres in June every year and ends in September, however given the late start and likelihood that CBS' fall schedule will not be ready to premiere in September as usual, it's appears increasingly more likely the show could run into the fall season this year.
However, CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl told Deadline last month Big Brother has a quick turnaround since the series has live shows every week.
Multiple sources told Us Weekly in June that CBS had been quietly contacting former Big Brother players to compete in an All-Star season but some of the former houseguests declined the opportunity to play again for a variety of reasons, including the fear of being exposed to coronavirus.
Fans have been voicing their desire for another full All-Stars season for a while now. The only full All-Stars season aired back in 2006 as Season 7, which ended with Mike "Boogie" Malin being crowned champion and Erika Landin finishing as the runner-up.
Big Brother debuted its first season in July 2000 and just celebrated its 20th anniversary on the air.
Big Brother documents a group of strangers living in one house outfitted with cameras as they compete in challenges and face weekly evictions until one houseguests wins the grand prize out of the Final 3 competitors.
Big Brother's 21st season wrapped last in September 2019 with Jackson Michie winning the $500,000 in a 6-3 jury vote over his girlfriend, Holly Allen, who had been his ride-or-die ally in the house.
RELATED LINK: 'BIG BROTHER' SHOWMANCES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHICH COUPLES HAVE SPLIT UP?? (PHOTOS)
Several other reality TV shows that faced production shutdowns due to the pandemic are reportedly on the verge of beginning filming again as well, including The Bachelorette's sixteenth season starring Clare Crawley.
ABC already announced Clare's potential cast of 42 bachelors and confirmed the show will air on Tuesday nights at 8PM ET/PT this fall.
A premiere for The Bachelorette has yet to be announced, but Clare has already been spotted filming at La Quinta Resort & Club, which is a Waldorf Astoria resort, in Palm Springs, CA.
ADVERTISEMENT
Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone reported in late June that he expected The Bachelorette cameras to start rolling on July 17, after the cast and crew spent about a week quarantining.