‘Big Brother 22’: All-Stars Reportedly Arrive in LA, Sequestered for Coronavirus Tests

As the coronavirus swept the world, it’s looking like it may have created a new normal for society — at least for the time being. Since this is the case and no end seems to be in sight, Hollywood is trying to find ways to keep productions alive despite the novel virus lingering around. Big Brother is one of the first shows trying to find ways to continue their production safely in person despite the pandemic. According to TMZ, cast members are already in Los Angeles, California, waiting for the green light.

Big Brother All-Stars is already underway, but first, quarantine. According to the source, several potential contestants are already in quarantine and getting tested as they wait for clearance. If a person’s test comes back negative, they’ll be allowed to enter the Big Brother house; however, if it’s positive, they’ll be forced to drop out and isolate while production falls back on their second list of contestants. The show allegedly has a core list of returning contestants and an alternate list in case someone is diagnosed with COVID-19.

So far, there are nine contestants awaiting approval: Season 19 winner, Josh Martinez; Season 8 runner-up Daniele Donato; Season 18 alum Paulie Calafiore; Season 18 winner Nicole Franzel; Season 20 runner-up Tyler Crispen; three-time contestant Janelle Pierzina; Season 14 winner Ian Terry, Season 12 winner Hayden Moss; and Season 20 alum Bayleigh Dayton.

Around mid-March is when the coronavirus hit most parts of the world that were affected by the deadly virus. While most could assume that everyone was in the loop on what was happening, given the circumstances, quarantine and since businesses were shutting down at a rapid pace, there was still a tiny group of people who were completely unaware of the pandemic. The cast of Big Brother Germany, including 14 men and women, had no idea what was going on in the world since they had entered the house on Feb. 10. However, during a live episode, host Jochen Schropp told the cast that “a disease called COVID-19 has spread across the world” and had “reached Europe.”

Usually, the cast of Big Brother is never informed on what’s going on outside of the house and in the real world unless it’s an absolute emergency. The last time a cast was informed on what was going on was during an episode of the United States version of BB in 2001 after the 9/11 attack. The last three remaining contestants were told what happened.