Big Brother fans were shocked during the Season 21 premiere last week to learn that two of the new houseguests weren’t exactly meeting for the first time, as Tommy Bracco and Christie Murphy tried to hide their secret past from the other players. And it seems like other BB21 houseguests may also be downplaying their connections for now, executive producer Allison Grodner told Entertainment Weekly in a new interview.
When asked if Christie was put inside the house alongside her former girlfriend’s nephew on purpose, Grodner answered, “We liked what both Tommy and Christie brought to the show as individuals. We knew that they had a past together and decided to see how that would play out in the house.”
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But she teased of the Camp BB theme for the season, “Just as in Summer Camp, there could be others who know one another…”
With something going on beneath the house’s surface, in addition to the Camp Director and Whacktiviy twists, this season is already off to a crazy start, with Grodner adding, “As Julie teased, something will be happening that has never happened on Big Brother before. Everyone will find out what that is on Wednesday. Stay tuned!”
The Camp Director twist, which pit houseguests who volunteered for a nomination against one another for an unknown power, certainly started things off with a twist. While most houseguests didn’t want to put themselves out there so soon, Jackson Michie, Cliff Hogg, Jessica Milagros and David Alexander jumped at the chance. In the end, Jackson managed to win the power, only to learn he was responsible for banishing four houseguests right off the bat.
“I think different strategies work for different people,” Grodner said of the initial twist’s results. “Cliff and Jackson saw themselves as targets right off the bat and took a gamble in order to have safety for the first week. Getting banished and battling back has endeared Cliff to the houseguests. Being in a leadership role may have given Jackson safety, but it has also gone to Jackson’s head, so we will see what that means for his game down the line. Volunteering for Camp Director was probably not the best strategy for Jessica and David because it made them look like strong players, and therefore a threat.”
Big Brother next airs Sunday, June 30 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
Photo credit: CBS/Monty Brinton
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“Reverse the Curse” – Back from tribal, tensions rise following the exit of a particularly historic player. The final five immunity challenge ends in a showdown and features one of the closest finishes the show has ever seen. Jeff reveals the outcomes of the remaining in-game fan votes and how they impact the final stage of the competition. Then, one castaway will be crowned Sole Survivor and awarded the $2 million prize, during the three-hour live season finale, on SURVIVOR 50, Wednesday, May 20 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Jeff Probst serves as host and executive producer. Pictured: Aubry Bracco Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
