'Celebrity Big Brother' Casting Rumors, Teaser: 'Real Housewives' Banned in CBS Reality Show?
There will reportedly be no "Real Housewives" cast members in the U.S. version of "Celebrity Big Brother" (CBB). Sources revealed that producers of the CBS reality show want real stars and not D-listers.
"Real Housewives" personalities have apparently been sending feelers to the casting team of "Celebrity Big Brother" ever since host Julie Chen made the announcement regarding the exciting season. This instalment is highly anticipated since it's the first celebrity edition of the series after 19 seasons and 17 years.
"'Big Brother' wants to stay away from ladies that have been 'Housewives,'" a source said. "They are looking for real celebrities who are not used to being on camera in a private setting."
It's a surprising move, however, for "Celebrity Big Brother" to block the casting of "Real Housewives" reality stars. Major networks with reality competition shows, such as ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice," almost always included someone from the "Housewives" franchise from Bravo.
The source also made it clear the ban is only in effect for "Real Housewives" cast members. It should not affect stars featured in other reality shows, such as Spencer Pratt, who appeared in "The Hills."
Pratt, who's a U.K. "Celebrity Big Brother" veteran, told The Hollywood Reporter that he's ready to enter the U.S. edition. He admitted he's been waiting for a long time for CBB on CBS but the network has yet to confirm if he's in.
"[It's] the Willy Wonka golden ticket of reality TV," Pratt said. "Who doesn't want to be filmed 24/7 for CBS? That's like dying and going to heaven."
Meanwhile, as fans await the full cast list, CBS released its first teaser to "Celebrity Big Brother." The show will debut on Feb. 8 and will run for 13 episodes. The celebrities will compete inside the Big Brother house for 18 days only.
