CBS Reportedly Considering All-Star 'Big Brother' Season Despite Coronavirus Concerns

CBS is reportedly looking to bring Big Brother back this summer, despite concerns over the [...]

CBS is reportedly looking to bring Big Brother back this summer, despite concerns over the coronavirus. The network has been contacting former players about starring in the second edition of Big Brother: All-Stars to air this summer, multiple sources told Us Weekly. Many of the stars approached have already declined offers out of fear of contracting COVID-19.

The new season would be the show's 22nd and would help CBS celebrate 20 years since the show debuted in July 2000. If the season happens at all, it will likely air later than the regular June premiere date. Players would also have to live in the Big Brother house longer and be required to quarantine for 14 days to make sure they enter the household healthy. This would also be the first All-Star season since Season 7 aired in 2006 and ended with Mike "Boogie" Malin as the winner.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl told Deadline in May she was confident new seasons of Big Brother and Love Island would still air this summer. "With Love Island and Big Brother, we still hope to have on the air this summer, it could be a little later than usual, but we're still optimistic about getting those on," Kahl said. "Those shows turn around pretty quickly, Big Brother has live shows every week and Love Island literally airs the night after it shoots, those shows do not have long post processes."

Hollywood production has been on hold since mid-March to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said production could resume in the state "no sooner" than June 12. Plans to film must be approved by county health officials "within the jurisdictions of operations following their review of local epidemiological data including cases per 100,000 population, rate of test positivity and local preparedness to support a health care surge, vulnerable populations, contact tracing and testing," the California Department of Public Health said in a statement released by Newsom's office. Production teams are still required to follow workplace guidelines set by unions and management, as well as those set by health officials.

CBS has been far more confident that production could begin this summer than other networks. Unlike Fox and The CW, which both acquired already completed shows to air this fall, CBS set a fall schedule with most of its scripted shows returning in their usual timeslots. CBS expects to have new episodes of NCIS, Bull, FBI, Blue Bloods, and more ready to go in September.

Disclosure: PopCulture is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.

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