Big Brother adds Survivor legend Cirie Fields to season 25 cast in premiere twist

Big Brother kicked off its landmark 25th season promising both "the most unpredictable season ever" and "the most unexpected twist in Big Brother history." (Whether that twist referred to three former players "breaking in" to the house and unleashing a "Time Laser" or what came later in the premiere remains open to debate.)

It took over half of the 90-minute live premiere episode to actually get the 16 contestants into the house. And then the twists and turns began. Host Julie Chen Moonves explained to the contestants — as much as anything can be explained on Big Brother — that this year's house would be divided into four sections: the BB Comicsverse, the Humiliverse, the Scaryverse, and the Scrambleverse.

Then, instead of playing for Head of Household, as usually happens on a premiere, the players were divided into four groups for competitions (one of which required Chen Moonves to instruct "The goal is to kick yourself in the butt 100 times."), with the loser of each group immediately nominated for eviction.

But the twists were not over, because at the end of the premiere, it was revealed to viewers that a mother of one of the houseguests was actually in the house as well. And not just any mother. The mother of Jared — who is on the block for eviction along with Kirsten, Felicia, and Corey — was shown in the kitchen and then welcoming the players back inside with champagne. And that mother was none other than Survivor legend Cirie Fields.

Considered by many to be the best Survivor player to never win, Cirie played Survivor: Panama, Survivor: Micronesia, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, and Survivor: Game Changers. While she never made it to the end — although she likely would have won Micronesia had there not been injuries leading to a final 2 instead of a final 3 — Cirie did win the first season of The Traitors on Peacock. And now she will be seeking her second reality show crown.

How will Cirie — who becomes the first Survivor player ever to then later go into the Big Brother house, after Hayden Moss and Caleb Reynolds went the other way from BB to Survivor — and Jared handle their family connection in the house? Will they tell the others? And will the others be smart enough to get rid of Cirie at their first opportunity? Time will tell.

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