Many former Big Brother contestants have gone on to work in the entertainment industry, both in front of the screen and behind the scenes. Given that many of them have bubbly, energetic personalities, it’s no surprise they have enjoyed remaining in the spotlight.
While Big Brother is all about the houseguests, one of the most prominent and longstanding positions on the long-running reality series is that of the host. Julie Chen has become synonymous with the series, which means the show might just be over should she leave. If she ever did decide to step down before the show was ready to go off the air, who could step in? There are a few former contestants who would do a great job.
Jeff Schroeder (Season 11 & 13)
Jeff became a household name thanks to his two stints on Big Brother, winning the hearts of viewers, not to mention his future wife, Jordan, with his charming yet playful personality. After becoming one-half of one of the most successful and beloved showmances on Big Brother, Jeff went on to become a TV personality, working with Daily Blast Live. He also, once upon a time, did interviews with houseguests after the finale.
Since Jeff already has experience hosting live television, knows the game in and out, and is already beloved by fans, he would be a good choice.
Derrick Lavasseur (Season 16)
Derrick is another former Big Brother player who went on to work in entertainment. After winning the game, the former police officer appeared in the Investigation Discovery series, Hard Evidence: Is OJ Innocent.
He has the gift of gab and, considering he is deemed one of the best Big Brother players of all time, he would be the perfect person to come up with interesting questions and commentary about the game beyond the scripted, teleprompter lines.
Dan Gheesling (Season 10 & 14)
Speaking of the gift of gab, no Big Brother player possessed this better than Dan Gheesling, who is not only responsible for some of the most shocking moments ever in the game, but also widely considered to be the best to have ever played, and one of the best returning players, almost winning the second time around, too.
Dan remains in the public eye as a gaming live streamer and social media influencer. His analysis of subsequent seasons and strategies to play the game would make him a great host. While he wouldn’t be able to flex his gameplay muscles as much when looking on from afar, he could offer some amazing eviction interviews.
Andy Herren (Season 15)
Andy might not have been as outspoken as other winners, dubbed a “floater” on his season, but he played an incredible social game. Sure, he flip-flopped between both sides of the house, but it worked to his advantage since he won.
Not only would it be nice to see the first openly gay winner as a host, but Andy would be able to stand up for those who are in the background in the house and help bring them to the forefront during the live shows. Considering he’s a professor of public speaking, he’d have no trouble doing the job.
Da’Vonne Rogers (Season 17, 18 & 22)
Da’Vonne was a fan favorite and one of the best All-Star players in season 22, being very open in the house about her desire to see a person of color win the season and about how she feels she had been wrongfully perceived in previous seasons.
She is always entertaining to watch with great diary room sessions and animated dialogue when she talks with others. Da’Vonne always tells it like it is, so it would be interesting to see her use her skills as a host, leading the cast of players through evictions, competitions, and more.
Jessica Graf (Season 19)
Jessica Graf took a lot of heat on the series, particularly because of her relationship with and defense of Cody Nickson. It proved worthwhile, however, since the couple is now married with two children.
Jessica, at one point, hosted her own podcast called Now What?! where she talked about a variety of topics, including the latest seasons of Big Brother, and she even interviewed former houseguests. So, she has remained up on the game and would be an engaging personality to host.
Ross Mathews (Celebrity Big Brother, Season 1)
Widely considered to be one of the players who should have won the game but didn’t, instead earning a runner-up position, Ross Mathews played on the first American edition of Celebrity Big Brother.
He had been a superfan and member of the Big Brother family long before, originally hosting the online after-eviction interview episodes where he delved deep into the game with each evicted houseguest. The web show was exciting and engaging, so it makes total sense to have Ross fill in as host. He already has hosting and television experience, along with a genuine love for and knowledge of the game.
Ian Terry (Season 14 & 22)
Ian doesn’t fit the bubbly personality mold of most typical TV show hosts, but based on some of his most iconic moments on the show (remember his theater acting punishment he had to do for 24 hours?), he also has the energy and ability to get people amped up for the show if he really wanted.
He knows the game inside and out, has played twice, and understands the types of questions players should be asked as well as how to navigate various competitions and eviction ceremonies strategically.
Dr. Will Kirby (Season 2)
Dr. Will has remained a part of the Big Brother family since his win long ago in the second season. In previous seasons, he sat down with jury members to discuss their thoughts about the candidates, who they think should win and why, and what they thought about gameplay.
He has the classic good looks, charm, and confidence that is an asset when it comes to television hosts. Considering he remains a legend in the game, it would make sense for Dr. Will to host.
Britney Haynes (Season 12 & 14)
A fan-favorite player and the woman responsible for some of the most hilarious diary room sessions, Britney won over viewers with her realness, witty sarcasm, and intuitive ability to ask the same questions in her diary room sessions that viewers had been thinking while they watched what was going on.
Britney would make an amazing host who could take the show in another direction. Perhaps she could interject with witty and sarcastic remarks during live feed footage, similarly to the approach employed by host Michelle Buteau on the Netflix reality series The Circle (which itself has been compared to Big Brother meets Catfish).
