While Big Brother continues to be a summertime smash here in North America, currently airing its 19th season on Global, in the U.K. Big Brother is a whole other show: instead of unknown contestants competing for a big cash prize, the British Big Brother house is crammed with celebrities who bicker and banter and hilariously get on each other’s nerves, to the delight of viewers.
Thanks to an announcement during Thursday’s edition of Big Brother, we now know that celebrities in the Big Brother house will no longer be a distinctly British phenomenon, with host Julie Chen announcing plans to a celebrity edition of Big Brother set to arrive at midseason.
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“Now, you expect us to be back next summer, and we will,” Chen told viewers on Thursday’s episode. “But this winter, for the first time ever, the unexpected is coming: Celebrity Big Brother. That’s right, a house full of celebrities locked up behind these doors. Can you imagine it? You’ll learn all about it, soon enough.”
Following the midseason Celebrity Big Brother, the original Big Brother will return next summer with its milestone 20th season.
“Big Brother has been dominating pop culture throughout its 19 seasons, and it is exciting to grow the franchise with the first-ever celebrity edition in the U.S.,” said executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan in a statement. “Celebrities will be under the watchful eye of the Big Brother cameras, facing the classic game elements, and of course new twists in this special winter event.”
Meanwhile, a celebrity has already been in the Big Brother house — SNL alum Bobby Moynahan, who dropped in to Thursday’s episode to promote his upcoming CBS sitcom Me, Myself & I.
Big Brother airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, on Global. Meanwhile, the sixth season of Big Brother Canada will be returning to Global in 2018.