JERRY O'CONNELL JOINS "BIG BROTHER: UNLOCKED" AS CELEBRITY PANELIST ALONGSIDE RETURNING WINNERS TAYLOR HALE AND DERRICK LEVASSEUR

The Ultimate BB Companion Series Returns Friday, July 10, with a New Interactive Fan Vote That Impacts the Game and a Live Studio Audience

CBS announced today that actor, television personality and BIG BROTHER superfan Jerry O'Connell will join the upcoming season of BIG BROTHER: UNLOCKED as a celebrity panelist alongside returning panelists and BIG BROTHER champions Taylor Hale and Derrick Levasseur. BIG BROTHER: UNLOCKED premieres Friday, July 10 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS and Paramount+.

"BIG BROTHER is my summer and rolls into my fall too. I'm already watching on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, so the fact that CBS is now paying me to do it is kind of amazing," says O'Connell. "It's an absolute honor to sit next to Derrick - 'Champ,' as I call him - and Taylor, who is my all-time favorite BIG BROTHER winner (sorry, Jag). This is what we call in showbiz a dream gig. I'll do my best to be the voice of the fans, but as Julie says, expect the unexpected. And most importantly, remember to love one another. I'm soooo excited to join the BIG BROTHER fam!"

O'Connell, Hale and Levasseur will anchor the companion series as part of BIG BROTHER's biggest summer ever, featuring more programming hours than any season in the franchise's history. This season, BIG BROTHER will make television history as the first primetime series ever to reach 1,000 original episodes (date of the 1,000th episode to be announced).

BIG BROTHER: UNLOCKED will break down gameplay, evaluate the competition and share exclusive insider perspectives. The premiere episode launches a new interactive fan vote that will have a major impact on the game and kicks off the season's live studio audience experience, a new addition that will continue throughout the summer. Featuring new and returning fan-favorite segments, the series will offer exclusive content, inside-the-house footage, behind-the-scenes access, extended interviews, at-home packages, surprise visits from past BB favorites, unparalleled access - and the return of the coveted BBies Award Show.

O'Connell is well known within the BIG BROTHER fandom and has long maintained a close connection to the franchise and its legacy. Hale made franchise history in season 24 as the first houseguest ever to take home both the grand prize and the title of America's Favorite Houseguest. Levasseur, a former undercover detective, famously dominated season 16 of the series, cementing his status as one of the show's greatest tacticians by navigating the entire game without facing eviction until the final three.

The 28th season kicks off with a special 90-minute premiere on Thursday, July 9 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT), followed by the season premiere of BIG BROTHER: UNLOCKED on Friday, July 10 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT). A 90-minute Sunday episode of the main series will cap off the opening weekend on Sunday, July 12 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT).

BIG BROTHER: UNLOCKED will air on the CBS Television Network and will be available to stream on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs).