Big Brother 28: Julie Chen Moonves Finally Names Her Dream Replacement — Could Taylor Hale Become the Next Face of Big Brother?

🚨 BIG BROTHER WITHOUT JULIE CHEN MOONVES? It’s almost impossible to imagine—but Julie has finally weighed in on the former Houseguest she thinks could be perfect for the job.

And the name creating buzz among fans is none other than Season 24 winner Taylor Hale.

But before anyone starts saying goodbye to the Chenbot, there’s an important reality check: Julie has not announced her retirement. CBS still lists Julie as the host of Big Brother 28, and recent coverage indicates she intends to stick around. (paramountplus.com)

So why is everybody suddenly talking about Taylor replacing her?

Because Julie herself has entertained the possibility.

Julie Addresses the Taylor Hale Question

For years, fans have debated who could possibly replace Julie whenever the legendary host eventually decides to walk away.

There have been plenty of names.

Former winners.

Reality-TV personalities.

Professional broadcasters.

But Taylor Hale has increasingly emerged as one of the most obvious candidates.

Taylor already has experience within the Big Brother television universe as one of the panelists on Big Brother: Unlocked, alongside Derrick Levasseur and Jerry O’Connell. CBS describes the companion show as featuring exclusive footage, interviews, behind-the-scenes material and analysis of the game. (paramountplus.com)

And when Julie was reportedly asked about speculation that Taylor could someday inherit her job, her reaction was remarkably positive.

She essentially acknowledged that she’d wondered about the possibility too—and said Taylor would be “perfect.” (aol.ca)

That’s a pretty significant endorsement coming from the woman who has stood outside those famous doors since 2000.

Why Taylor Hale Makes So Much Sense

Think about it.

Taylor isn’t simply another former Houseguest.

Her Big Brother story is extraordinary.

She entered Season 24 and endured one of the roughest beginnings imaginable before completely reversing her position.

Then she won.

And she didn’t merely take home the $750,000 grand prize.

Taylor also became the first Houseguest to win both the season and America’s Favorite Houseguest, a milestone CBS itself continues to highlight. (paramountplus.com)

She understands what it feels like to be nominated.

To survive eviction night.

To campaign.

To deal with alliances.

To endure the psychological pressure of living inside that house.

That creates something Julie could never have had when she started hosting in 2000:

firsthand experience as a Houseguest.

Imagine Taylor interviewing somebody immediately after a brutal blindside.

“You’ve just been evicted from the Big Brother house.”

The Houseguest is devastated.

Taylor wouldn’t simply understand the game intellectually.

She would understand the feeling.

Big Brother: Unlocked Could Be Taylor’s Audition

And that’s what makes Big Brother: Unlocked particularly interesting.

Taylor is already developing the exact skills required for a larger role within the franchise.

Talking directly to cameras.

Handling live television.

Interviewing alumni.

Analyzing strategy.

Moving conversations along.

Reacting quickly when something unexpected happens.

And perhaps most importantly, becoming increasingly familiar to casual CBS viewers who may not remember every detail of Season 24.

Could Unlocked effectively be preparing Taylor for something bigger?

There’s no confirmation of that.

But it’s certainly easy to understand why fans would make the connection.

But Julie Has Mentioned Someone Else Too

Here’s where things get funny.

Taylor isn’t actually Julie’s only dream successor.

Julie has repeatedly joked that she’d love to keep the hosting job within her own family.

Her son, Charlie.

In a 2025 interview, Julie said she would love for Charlie eventually to take over so there would still be a “Chenbot” connection to Big Brother. At the time, however, she admitted he wasn’t particularly interested in television hosting. (people.com)

And she doubled down on that idea ahead of Season 28.

Julie again said she would love seeing Charlie eventually host, although she still didn’t believe it was really his thing. She even joked that perhaps by the time she finally leaves, her grandchild might have to inherit the job instead. (people.com)

That’s because Julie apparently has no intention of making this succession discussion urgent.

Julie Wants to Keep Hosting for YEARS

Anyone expecting a dramatic retirement announcement may be waiting a very long time.

Julie has previously joked about turning her longevity on Big Brother into a competition.

She has compared herself to legendary game-show host Bob Barker and suggested she’d happily continue for decades if circumstances allowed. (people.com)

That fits everything else Julie has said about the franchise.

She has hosted Big Brother since Season 1 in 2000.

She’s survived format changes.

Casting controversies.

Endless twists.

Hundreds of evictions.

More alliances than anyone could possibly remember.

And now the show is reaching another staggering milestone.

Big Brother Is About to Reach Episode 1,000

The timing of all this succession talk couldn’t be more fascinating.

Big Brother 28 is scheduled to air the franchise’s 1,000th original episode on Thursday, August 27, 2026, with CBS promising former Houseguest appearances as part of the milestone celebration. (paramountplus.com)

Think about that.

One thousand episodes.

And Julie has been there from the beginning.

That makes replacing her incredibly difficult because she isn’t simply the presenter anymore.

She’s part of the show’s identity.

“But first…”

“Expect the unexpected.”

The live vote.

The eviction interview.

The Chenbot jokes.

Julie and Big Brother have essentially grown up together.

Could Episode 1,000 Give Taylor an Even Bigger Moment?

Now here’s where speculation becomes fun.

CBS says the 1,000th episode will include surprise appearances from former Houseguests. (paramountplus.com)

What better opportunity to celebrate the different generations of Big Brother?

Julie represents the franchise’s entire history.

Taylor represents one of its most memorable modern winners.

Could CBS put them together in some symbolic moment?

Maybe.

But fans shouldn’t mistake anniversary festivities for a handoff unless CBS actually announces one.

As of now, Julie remains the host.

What About Derrick Levasseur?

Taylor isn’t the only Unlocked personality who could theoretically be considered.

Derrick Levasseur understands Big Brother strategy at an extremely high level.

His Season 16 game remains one of the franchise’s most famous winning performances.

He’s articulate.

He’s comfortable discussing strategy.

And he’s deeply connected to the franchise.

But hosting the Thursday eviction show requires something slightly different.

The host isn’t supposed to become another strategist.

Sometimes Julie knows exactly what’s happening inside the house but deliberately asks neutral questions.

That’s important.

Taylor’s style could potentially fit that role because she can understand the strategy without making herself the center of it.

Jerry O’Connell Would Bring Something Completely Different

Then there’s Jerry O’Connell.

CBS brought him into Big Brother: Unlocked alongside Taylor and Derrick for Season 28. (paramountplus.com)

Jerry has professional television experience and enormous enthusiasm for the show.

If CBS wanted someone with traditional entertainment-hosting experience, he’d certainly be an interesting possibility.

But replacing Julie isn’t merely about finding somebody comfortable on camera.

It’s about finding someone whom fans accept as authentically connected to Big Brother.

That’s Taylor’s greatest advantage.

She’s one of them.

Julie Could Eventually Become the “Jeff Probst” Behind the Scenes

There’s another possibility nobody should overlook.

What if Julie eventually stops hosting live eviction episodes but doesn’t completely leave Big Brother?

She could remain involved with specials.

Anniversary episodes.

Interviews.

Retrospectives.

Maybe even production.

Then Taylor—or another successor—could handle weekly hosting duties while Julie remains the symbolic face of the franchise.

That would make the transition much less jarring.

Imagine the first episode of a new era.

Taylor walks onto the stage.

Huge applause.

Then Julie appears on screen.

Taylor smiles.

Julie says:

“Taylor…”

Pause.

“Expect the unexpected.”

🔥

Then Julie disappears from the screen.

Taylor turns toward the camera.

“But first…”

The audience absolutely loses it.

Tell me that wouldn’t be a Big Brother moment.

Taylor Could Also Bring a Different Kind of Eviction Interview

This might be the biggest advantage of having a former winner host.

Taylor knows when Houseguests are putting on a brave face.

She knows what it’s like when Julie reveals something you didn’t know happened behind your back.

She understands jury management.

She understands isolation.

She understands how relationships inside the house feel much more intense than they look outside.

Imagine an evicted Houseguest saying:

“I never realized my alliance betrayed me.”

Taylor could respond:

“I’ve been on that side of those doors. When did you first feel something had changed?”

That’s different.

Not necessarily better than Julie.

But different enough to create a new identity for the show instead of simply asking somebody to imitate Chenbot.

The Biggest Problem? Fans Hate Change

Let’s be serious.

Whoever replaces Julie is going to get criticized.

Taylor.

Derrick.

Jerry.

Charlie Chen Moonves.

Anybody.

The first time the new host says:

“By a vote of 8-1…”

social media will explode.

The first awkward interview?

“Julie would’ve handled that better.”

The first mistake?

“Bring back Chenbot!”

That’s inevitable.

Replacing somebody after more than a quarter-century is almost impossible.

Which is why CBS would probably need a gradual transition rather than waking up one summer and announcing that Julie is gone.

And Taylor’s current role on Unlocked could theoretically provide exactly that gradual introduction.

But Julie Isn’t Going Anywhere Yet

This is the most important distinction.

The viral headline makes it sound like Julie has selected her replacement and is preparing to leave.

That isn’t what has been announced.

Julie is currently hosting Season 28, CBS continues to identify her as the show’s host, and she has repeatedly talked about wanting to continue for a very long time. (paramountpressexpress.com)

Taylor is better viewed as an intriguing potential future successor—one Julie herself has spoken positively about—rather than somebody officially waiting to take the microphone.

And perhaps that’s exactly how it should be.

Nobody needs Julie to leave tomorrow.

But after 28 seasons, it’s fascinating finally to have an answer to the question:

Who could possibly follow the Chenbot?

Taylor Hale suddenly feels like a very serious answer.

🔥 Imagine Big Brother 40.

The camera sweeps across the audience.

The famous doors glow behind the stage.

Then Taylor walks out.

“Good evening. I’m Taylor Hale.”

Huge applause.

She smiles.

“And yes… Julie told me I could say it.”

Taylor looks directly into the camera.

“But first…”

The crowd erupts.

Somewhere backstage, Julie Chen Moonves smiles.

The Chenbot era has ended.

And the Taylor Hale era has begun.

Would Taylor Hale really be the perfect person to replace Julie Chen Moonves—or is there another Big Brother legend YOU would rather see standing outside those doors?