Survivor star Rick Devens joins Big Brother 2026 cast
Survivor 50 fan favorite Rick Devens will compete on Big Brother season 28, Entertainment Weekly reported exclusively July 7. Sources say he joins a crossover twist as one of two former Survivor castaways vying for Big Brother 2026's $750,000 prize, though CBS has not officially confirmed his casting.
Key Takeaways
- Entertainment Weekly exclusively reports Rick Devens will appear on Big Brother season 28, which premieres July 9 on CBS.
- EW sources say a second unnamed Survivor alum is also on the cast; KOMO News reports Dee Valladares and Big Brother 26 alum Angela Murray are expected additions.
- CBS revealed 14 new houseguests during a July 7 livestream, including RuPaul's Drag Race star Jason De Puy (Salina EsTitties).
- Devens and a second Survivor player would become the second and third former castaways to compete on Big Brother, after Cirie Fields on season 25.
- KOMO reports Devens, Valladares, and Murray could be announced during the first episode of Big Brother: Unlocked.
Why does Rick Devens joining Big Brother 2026 matter?
The crossover lands at a pivotal moment for celebrity breaking news fans tracking summer reality TV. Entertainment Weekly identifies Devens as a Survivor 50 fan favorite who has moved from the island to the Big Brother house for season 28.
EW notes that while CBS and Big Brother producers will not confirm any Survivor competitors for the new season, sources close to the situation tell the outlet that two former island-dwellers are indeed part of the cast. Devens and his still-unidentified fellow castaway would follow Cirie Fields, Devens' Survivor 50 castmate, who competed alongside her son Jared on Big Brother season 25 and finished fifth.
EW adds that it is unlikely Devens or the mystery Survivor player will cause physical chaos inside the house, but when it comes to chaotic gameplay, viewers should strap in for a wild ride. The outlet also notes past crossovers in the other direction, including Big Brother 12 winner Hayden Moss and Big Brother 16 alum Caleb Reynolds appearing on Survivor.
Who else from Survivor is expected on the cast?
While EW has not revealed the identity of the second Survivor star, KOMO News reports that Survivor 45 winner Dee Valladares is expected to join the Big Brother house alongside Devens. Both competed on the iconic Survivor 50 cast. KOMO also reports that controversial Big Brother season 26 alum Angela Murray, who later appeared on The Amazing Race with her daughter Lexi, is expected to return and stir things up this summer.
According to KOMO, Devens, Valladares, and Murray could be announced during the first episode of Big Brother: Unlocked, hosted by former winners Derrick Levasseur and Taylor Hale alongside superfan Jerry O'Connell.
The initial cast announcement on Tuesday, covered by Deadline, introduced 14 new players in the show's first-ever livestream reveal. That group includes Jason De Puy, Kamuela Kirk, Mallory Aurichio, Lyric Medeiros, and other newcomers from across the country.
When does Big Brother season 28 premiere?
Big Brother season 28 kicks off with a 90-minute premiere on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and Paramount+, according to KOMO News and Entertainment Weekly.
EW reports that Devens' casting news broke hours after CBS announced the initial Big Brother season 28 cast on Tuesday. That reveal included Jason De Puy appearing under his offstage name rather than his RuPaul's Drag Race persona Salina EsTitties.
For the full exclusive on Devens' casting, see the Entertainment Weekly report that first confirmed the Survivor star's move to the Big Brother house.