Receiving several votes from the Jury and not winning Big Brother is an unfortunate fate some have suffered during the CBS flagship series’ two-decade long run. But, who has gotten the most votes without ever winning the six-figure grand prize and the accolade of Big Brother champion?
To come so close without actually cashing out with a life-changing sum of money has stung the likes of Big Brother 12‘s Lane Elenburg, Big Brother 13’s Porsche Briggs, and season 20’s Tyler Crispen. But, no one has felt the disappointment of falling short more than two-time contestant Paul Abrahamian.
Paul is one of only three contestants to move into the California-based house twice and never be evicted from the game. Big Brother 10 champion and season 14 runner-up Dan Gheesling and Big Brother 16 runner-up and season 22 winner Cody Calafiore have also accomplished the feat. But, unlike them, Paul hasn’t won.
We first met the fashion designer in 2016 when 12 rookies and four returning veterans joined together for Big Brother 18. Paul quickly became a fan favorite for his zany personality, over-the-top confessionals, and underdog storyline.
Although he hit the nomination block in six of the 13 weeks, Paul’s three Head of Household victories and three Power of Veto wins propelled him to the final two. He sat next to Nicole Franzel and as history has it, he narrowly lost to the Big Brother 16 alum by a 5-4 spread.
Not to be deterred, Paul signed on the season after as Big Brother 19’s only returning player.
Through a twist in the game on day 1, Paul walked through the front door and inserted himself into a crop of 16 newbies. Paul went on to put on a strategic masterclass through 92 days of play. Barring pushback from Jessica Graf and Cody Nickson, Paul maintained a stranglehold on the house and cruised to the end of the game while notching three Head of Households and five Power of Vetos.
But, his social game and promises led to the betrayal of several of his allies. That, along with accusations of bullying, rendered Paul a bridesmaid once again. After Josh Martinez took Paul to the final two, the former was awarded the trophy by the Jury. It was another razor-thin 5-4 vote, a spread that brought Paul to tears.
We haven’t seen Paul pop back up on CBS since, and it’s unclear if he’ll ever make a return to the franchise — a legends season, perhaps? Regardless, the mastermind holds a record that may never be broken.