Summer is usually the best time of the year for most people, except for Survivor fans who have to endure three months without our favourite show. Though there are other alternatives, one in particular can help us endure the off-season in better spirits.
I’m talking about, of course, Big Brother, which has just released its cast for its 28th season, premiering on Thursday, July 9, 2026, with a special 90-minute episode airing from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
Early on July 7, 14 houseguests' names were released to the public about who will compete on the latest Big Brother season. For weeks, rumours had been running amok on social media about reality TV stars potentially joining the cast (more on that later), including Survivor alumni, but nothing had been confirmed by reliable sources yet.
Well, the speculation is now over, as Entertainment Weekly has officially confirmed that none other than two-time Survivor alum Rick Devens will compete on Big Brother. Devens was originally cast on Survivor: Edge of Extinction, where he made a deep and impressive run that ultimately led to his invitation back on Survivor 50, which wrapped up with a live finale about a month ago.
While Devens didn’t win either season, he is still known for his wit, charm, and savviness in strategic and social gameplay. These skills will certainly help him in the Big Brother house this summer, and there’s no doubt that Devens will use every weapon in his arsenal to make this game his.
But, wait! There’s still more Survivor ground to cover, as there is a rumored second Survivor player who will exchange the Fijian islands for the BB backyard. While it hasn’t been officially verified at this time, all evidence points to the second player being none other than Survivor 45 winner and Survivor 50 contestant Dee Valladares.
Valladares completely dominated her first Survivor season, holding a chokehold on the game from beginning to end, leading to her being crowned Sole Survivor. Like Devens, Valladares was brought back for Survivor 50 for a second run, where she was targeted for being one of the three winners on the season, ultimately leading to Valladares becoming the first jury member of the season.
Seeing Devens and Valladares playing Big Brother is quickly turning out to be one of my favourite moments this year so far, and I can’t wait to see the chaos they will both unleash! I can also imagine that fellow Survivor 50 contestant Cirie Fields gave them some pointers before they went on to Big Brother, as Fields was the first Survivor player to compete on Big Brother during its 25th season. This duo could become one of the most dangerous, cutthroat, and unmatched ones that BB has ever seen.
SALINA ESTITTIES OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED ON THE NEW SEASON OF BIG BROTHER (28) pic.twitter.com/kQQQwWVTLC
— ray ✨ (@mascarayde) July 7, 2026
Lastly, as previously mentioned, the other houseguests' names were also revealed, including another Survivor connection. Jason De Puy, also known to RuPaul’s Drag Race fans as Salina EsTitties, will also compete on Big Brother 28, and as every RPDR fan knows, De Puy is a massive Survivor superfan.
De Puy starred in RPDR season 15 and RPDR All Stars season 11, where he made an impression due to his charisma, hilarious commentary, and, particularly during his All Stars run, his knowledge of Survivor. De Puy went into All Stars with a Survivor mindset, making alliances with other drag queens and willing to backstab to advance in the competition. However, other players quickly caught up to his game and was promptly eliminated.
I can see a world where Devens, Valladares, and De Puy unite to wreck the house in their favour, while also wanting to get rid of each other, as they are all aware of how lethal each other is. Regardless of whether they end up working with or against each other, these three will give the fans a rollercoaster of a season! Plus, Big Brother fan favourite Angela Murray from Big Brother 26 will also be back, so you don’t want to miss this upcoming train of chaos fun.
Add us as a preferred source on Google