Julie Chen Moonves Guides Big Brother 2026 to 1,000th Episode
big brother 2026 returns on Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, and Julie Chen Moonves is back as host. The season opens with a 90-minute premiere, putting the franchise on track to become the first series to reach 1,000 original primetime episodes.
July 9 Starts the Run
The premiere lands on Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. ET, then Big Brother settles into a weekly pattern after the launch. CBS has set the season to air on Wednesdays from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ET, with hour-long Thursday shows and Sunday episodes at 8 p.m. ET.
Julie Chen Moonves returns as host for season 28, keeping the show’s on-air identity intact while the schedule expands around it. That kind of continuity matters when a reality brand is being used to carry a milestone year; the format stays familiar even as the episode count climbs.
90 Minutes on July 12
The first week includes two longer installments, with the launch running 90 minutes and the Sunday episode on July 12 also set for 90 minutes. That gives CBS extra room at the start of the season before the show shifts into its regular weekly grid.
Big Brother: Unlocked also returns this summer, starting on Friday, July 10 at 8 p.m. ET. The companion series will include exclusive footage from inside the house, extended interviews, surprise guest appearances, and behind-the-scenes access, along with a live studio audience for the first time ever.
Paramount+ Access Levels
Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers will be able to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate and on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not get live streaming, but they will have on-demand access the day after the episode airs.
That split leaves viewers with a practical choice before the season begins: pay for live access or wait for next-day viewing. For a show built around real-time competition and house dynamics, the release plan favors the most committed audience first, while everyone else gets a delayed option once the episode cycle starts.
