It looks like even robots can catch Covid, as longtime Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves (AKA Chenbot) has fallen ill, breaking the news via social media just hours before she was set to take the stage for the high-stakes live eviction ceremony tonight (Sept. 12)
“Friday morning I woke up with a sore throat and went to see my good friend who is an ENT. That night he called to say I have Covid. Thankfully this is only the second time for me and it’s been very mild! No fever and just a sore throat,” Chen Moonves shared in an Instagram post, prior to revealing how it impacts the Sept. 12 episode of Big Brother:
“Unfortunately, I am still testing positive as of this morning… Despite feeling good, strong and my cough being gone, I must sit tonight’s Big Brother live eviction show out. Thank you to Jerry O’Connell for filling in for me.”
Adding a few jokes — “I hope Jerry fits in to my dress, has a ball and tells the houseguests I miss them but will be watching from home… Chenbot is human after all!” — Chen Moonves concluded her Instagram post, and naturally, fans of the franchise were devastated:
“Expect the unexpected right? See you next week Julie 🌹”
“I CANNOT IMAGINE BB without Julie. Feel better soon ♥️”
“Julie take the rest you need!! I can’t even think of a show night you never missed, so take this night off and rest up!! You deserve it, truly.”
Even past players got a piece of all the action, with former houseguests like Kyland Young, Matt Turner, Brooklyn Rivera, and more commenting on the post as well, wishing her a speedy recovery.
For those who might be wondering whether or not Chen Moonves has ever missed a Big Brother eviction, she has not. Longtime reality television reporter Sharon Tharp shared a post via X (formerly known as Twitter) shortly after the BB host broke the news, stating that “for the first time in 24 years, Julie Chen will NOT be hosting tonight’s #BB26 live eviction” — how wild is that?
As mentioned, Jerry O’Connell will be taking her place tonight. For those who are unfamiliar with O’Connell, he is the host of The Talk — a Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show, also on CBS — and a self-proclaimed Big Brother fan. While Chen-Moonves will be greatly missed, it looks like CBS snagged the next-best person for the job, although we were secretly hoping for Dr. Will Kirby…
Nonetheless, to see O’Connell in action — and to see who is evicted from the Big Brother house — tune into a brand new episode of Big Brother 26 at 8pm ET/PT via CBS, with next-day streaming via Paramount Plus.
Spoiler alert — it looks like history might be made on two separate occassions tonight, so definitely set your DVRs!