Big Brother Season 28 Premieres: Dee Valladares Wins First HOH, Julie Chen Moonves Returns, and Show Pays Tribute to Mickey Lee

Big Brother Season 28 premiered on CBS featuring a surprise return by veteran player Rachel Reilly and a last-minute cast dropout.

Big Brother Season 28 launched on CBS on July 9 with several notable developments. Host Julie Chen Moonves returned after a season-long break, presiding over a cast that includes 17 houseguests alongside three CBS reality veterans, including Angela Murray from Big Brother 26. Dee Valladares, a veteran from Survivor, was crowned the first Head of Household in Week 1. The season also featured a surprise appearance by franchise veteran Rachel Reilly, and the late withdrawal of cast member Levi Banks, who had been set to compete but dropped out shortly before the premiere and has since spoken publicly about his reasons. The premiere included a tribute to late Season 27 houseguest Mickey Lee, who passed away on December 25, 2025. A photo of Lee was shown on-screen with the text 'In loving memory of Mickey Lee (1990 – 2025).' The season is airing near the show's historic 1,000th-episode milestone, and the unconventional roster size — 17 houseguests plus returning players — had generated significant fan speculation ahead of the premiere.

Why it matters

Big Brother is a long-running CBS reality competition with a dedicated viewer base, and cast shake-ups or surprise returns near a season premiere are notable events for that audience. A last-minute contestant withdrawal is unusual for a production of this scale.

What's next

Viewers will be watching to see what role Rachel Reilly plays in Season 28 beyond her premiere appearance.

Key facts

• Big Brother Season 28 premiered on CBS
• Rachel Reilly, age 41, made a surprise return during the Season 28 premiere episode
• Levi Banks withdrew from competing as a contestant shortly before the premiere
• Banks has spoken publicly about his reasons for dropping out
• Both stories were reported exclusively by Just Jared

Bias & framing notes

Both sources are from the same outlet, Just Jared, which is an entertainment gossip site. Neither article provides substantial detail in the available excerpts — key facts such as Reilly's specific role and Banks's stated reasons for withdrawing are referenced but not elaborated upon. No independent corroboration from a second outlet is present, keeping confidence in the specifics low.

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