The coronavirus-delayed 22nd season of “Big Brother” begins Wednesday evening with a two-hour episode on CBS, with production following specific health and safety protocols.
Houseguests underwent a quarantine period prior to production and were tested several times prior to entering the house. They will be tested weekly during the season and have no contact with any crew members. All supplies delivered will be disinfected. There will not be a studio audience for the weekly eviction episode.
All staff and crew members will be tested prior to commencing work on a regular basis and screened daily for symptoms. They will be required to wear personal protective equipment and will work in pods to enhance social distancing. A COVID-19 compliance officer will be on staff to monitor and enforce all health and safety COVID-19 protocols.
“The welfare of everyone involved” will be “the highest priority,” according to CBS.
This is the first time a season of “Big Brother” has begun in August. Each of its previous 20 summer seasons began in June or July.
The 9 p.m. season premiere will include the introduction of the houseguests, a first for the series which follows a group of people living together in a house outfitted with 94 high-definition cameras and 113 microphones, recording their every move 24 hours a day.
One houseguest is voted out each week. The last remaining houseguest will receive the $500,000 grand prize.
The cast for the second all-star edition of the series includes “past winners, finalists, memorable personalities and some of the best to never win the game,” according to CBS. The other all-star edition was in 2006.
In another first, the season premiere will air live in the Eastern and Central time zones, but as usual will be shown on a delayed basis in the Pacific time zone.
The season’s version of the “Big Brother” house on the CBS Studio Center lot in Studio City is billed as an “All-Star Loft” inspired by the working arts lofts of downtown Los Angeles. It features 16-foot-tall warehouse windows and one-of-a-kind installation pieces.
The living room has a gigantic wall of 1,152 illuminated pegs, a massive star field created from hand-painted rods, vintage star-shaped tin signage and a new model of the “Big Brother” chess set.
The kitchen pays homage to some of the series’ biggest all-star moments with splatter-paint street murals adorning the walls illustrating players during memorable events.
The lounge celebrates the series’ romances with LED-lit hearts, red velvet seating and custom monogrammed throw pillows highlighting enduring couples from seasons past.
Hundreds of ducks adorn the walls of the bathroom, from the showers to the sinks in a tribute to the series’ rubber duck.
Instead of the customary three bedrooms, there will be four. The first bedroom will showcase the superhero side of “Big Brother” houseguests.
The side bedroom celebrates a major symbol of the game, the “Big Brother” key, with key-shaped columns capped by glass globes breaking up the padded leather walls. There are 41 framed house keys throughout the room as a reminder that only one houseguest will have his or her key pulled at the end of the season.
The back bedroom centers around 35-millimeter cameras, including one prominently displayed wall-sized lens reminding houseguests all eyes are on them, and 127 black-and-white photos highlighting pivotal moments spanning the show’s 20-year history.
The head of household suite features raked skylights revealing a twilight-lit city skyline, a plush king-sized bed, and a royal blue velvet sofa.
The front of the house has undergone a high-tech redesign featuring millions of LED pixels. Throughout the season, the LED screens will display milestones in the game and provide viewers with an ever-closer look at the all-star players.
“Big Brother” will air at 8 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday. The first eviction show will air on Aug. 13.
In addition to the episodes broadcast on CBS, “Big Brother” live feeds can be seen on CBS All Access, the network’s subscription streaming service, beginning at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.