Who is Dan Gheesling? The ‘Big Brother’ icon on ‘The Traitors’ season 2, explained

This article contains spoilers for the first five episodes of The Traitors US season 2.

If there’s been one star of The Traitors US season 2 through the first five episodes, it’s Big Brother icon Dan Gheesling. The Traitor has hidden in the shadows alongside Survivor’s Parvati Shallow and Bravo’s Phaedra Parks, murdering Faithful after Faithful while staving off banishment.

But, for the uninitiated, who is Dan and why is he so revered in the reality competition world?

In short, Dan is arguably the greatest Big Brother player of all time. Two other names typically grace the franchise GOAT conversation — Big Brother champs Will Kirby and Derrick Levasseur — but, on paper, Dan’s resume is the best so far.

Not only did the 40-year-old win a season, he’s one of the only three contestants to play twice and never be evicted from the house.

Exploring the mastermind’s Big Brother tenure

Dan made his reality competition debut in 2008 as a 24-year-old Catholic school teacher from Dearborn, Michigan. Dan joined Big Brother 10’s 13-person roster. Early in the game, Dan teamed up with Memphis Garrett to create “The Renegades” — a dynamic duo etched in the history books.

With Dan steering the ship, the two navigated themselves to day 71 and after Dan won the final Head of Household, The Renegades sat together as the last two remaining houseguests. After the seven Jury members locked in their votes, Dan became the first contestant in series history to earn a unanimous nod from the ousted players.

Alongside three other Big Brother veterans, Dan returned to the show four years after earning season 10’s crown. Dan, Janelle Pierzina, Mike Boogie, and Britney Haynes were tasked with coaching a crop of rookie players on Big Brother 14. But, they entered the game as regular houseguests after a few rounds of play.

Although Dan didn’t win season 14, this is when he truly cemented himself as a Big Brother legend. With cutthroat betrayals and rabbit-in-the-hat moves, including hosting his own “funeral,” Dan once again stood in the final two on the season’s last day.

This time, he faced off against Ian Terry for the gold. But, the Jury chose to award the 21-year-old student the $500 thousand grand prize over Dan, someone who was responsible for nearly all of their evictions. He lost a 6-1 vote to Ian, but his stock as a Big Brother savant hit new heights.

It’s been over a decade since Dan played, and he’s remained adamant that he’s retired from Big Brother. So, you can imagine the excitement from the show’s community when Peacock announced Dan as a contestant on The Traitors US.

At this point, it looks like Dan’s days are numbered. But, if there’s one person who can maneuver their way out of a seemingly hopeless situation, it’s the Big Brother GOAT.