CBS Says All Future "Big Brother" Casts Will Be At Least 50% Black and People of Color

From Oprah Magazine

• CBS has renewed Big Brother for a season 23.

• Below, everything we know about the premiere date, cast, auditions, and more.

Big Brother 22 was...something. And by something we mean incredibly predictable, anti-climactic, a little controversial, and there wasn't enough of Queen Janelle.

But as all BB fans know, no matter how much we gripe about this one-of-a-kind reality show, we almost always come back, which is why we're already thinking about season 23.

One silver lining? After longtime complaints from previous players and fans about the show's issues with diversity and racism, CBS has made a pledge that the cast of Big Brother—and all of its network reality shows—will have "casts with at least 50% of the contestants being Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), beginning in the 2021-2022 broadcast season," per a press release.

There were only five in Big Brother 22's 16 member cast, and aside from Celebrity Big Brother 2 winner Tamar Braxton, no Black player has ever won the series after 20 years on air.

"The reality TV genre is an area that’s especially underrepresented, and needs to be more inclusive across development, casting, production and all phases of storytelling," said George Cheeks, president and chief executive officer for the CBS Entertainment Group, per EW. "As we strive to improve all of these creative aspects, the commitments announced today are important first steps in sourcing new voices to create content and further expanding the diversity in our unscripted programming, as well as on our network."

Below, everything we know so far about next summer. And spoiler: It's not much.

When will Big Brother season 23 premiere?

CBS has officially renewed Big Brother for season 23, and it's set to air in the summer. But we have no official date as of now. And seeing how season 22 was delayed by two months, we'll hold off on speculation.

However, rumors have already started about a potential winter or spring season in early 2021 or a third celebrity Big Brother. BB9 was the first and last winter season and aired from February to April in 2008. Celebrity Big Brother 1 began in February 2018, while the second celeb season premiered in January 2019. Screen Rant speculates that due to CBS's lack of scripted programming as a result of the pandemic, the network could be interested in a bit more reality TV to make up for gaps in scheduling. But we'll just have to wait and see.

You can now apply to be in the season 23 cast.

In October, the show's longtime casting director Robyn Kass announced that applications to be on the show were officially open. However, she tweeted some helpful advice that any potential contestant should pay attention to.

"Remember, there's no prize for getting your #BB23 application in first," she said. "My advice is, take ur time & think about what you want to say. You have months to plan, don't rush. Most people who apply the first week end up asking if they can redo their video."

And some more words of wisdom? "Lots of questions about #BB23 casting," she said. "No answers yet. Although the application is open, casting won't start until next year. Open calls will depend on COVID regulations at that time, but I'd assume all casting will be virtual, so start planning ur video!"

Apply to Big Brother 23 Now

Is Julie Chen returning as host?

She sure is because would it be Big Brother without Julie Chen? The beloved host announced the show's renewal news herself via video while she was getting ready for the BB22 finale.

For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter.

You Might Also Like

• A Cleaning Expert Explains the Best Way to Clean Cloth Face Masks After You Wear Them — Good Housekeeping

• 35 Delicious Pantry Recipes That Use What's Already in Your Cabinets and Freezer — Good Housekeeping

• The Amish keep to themselves. And they’re hiding a horrifying secret. — Cosmopolitan