Julie Chen Moonves Almost Didn’t Host Big Brother!

Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves loves her gig. But after hosting the show since 2000, Julie has now made a confession. And she shared that producers didn’t choose her first as the Big Brother host.

Find out who almost got the gig instead of Chen Moonves. And learn what else Julie revealed. Get all the details below, including when the new season will debut.

Julie Chen Moonves Nearly Didn’t Host Big Brother!

Big Brother fans know Julie Chen Moonves for her role as host since 2000. But for the first time, the 53-year-old feels ready to spill what happened behind the scenes as producers prepped the show’s first season.

And Julie shared that she did not rank as the top choice for host, according to People.

“I wasn’t the first choice,” admitted Chen Moonves. And instead, producers wanted Meredith Vieira. However, at the time Meredith co-moderated The View on ABC. And Julie also shared that she asked her husband (former CBS chairman and CEO) for details.

“I said, ‘You know, I heard stories back when I was cast on Big Brother to host that you guys asked Meredith Vieira first,'” recalled Julie. “And he said it was true.” Because producers viewed Big Brother as “kind of a trashy show,” they “wanted to class it up with the host,” added Chen Moonves. As a result, the network chose Vieira for her “very well-respected name in the business.”

Julie Chen Moonves Calls Herself ‘Chenbot’

However, Vieira chose to host ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in 2002. And she then moved on to co-host The Today Show. But that left Big Brother needing a host. And so Julie made the leap. 

Julie Chen Moonves Reveals Meredith Vieira Was First Choice for 'Big Brother' Gig: 'I Can't Imagine Not Hosting' https://t.co/AgCogNLXzl

— People (@people) July 22, 2023

“I was ‘in house,’” she recalled. “And when they offered me the job, they were one month away from launching the show.” But as she looks back prior to season 25 of Big Brother debuting, Julie feels that her start seemed “terrible.”

However, the Big Brother host feels that she grew “so much as a human being and as a host. And I love it. I can’t imagine not hosting Big Brother anymore.” And Chen Moonves joked that fans sometimes refer to her by the show name.

“People sometimes think, ‘Oh, you’re Big Brother, right?’” But Julie responds by teasing, “I am the Chenbot and I am the host.” And she also shared that she still loves her job. “I have no idea how many more years this is gonna go on,” admitted Chen Moonves. “But right now, the way I’m feeling, I hope it never ends.” And she feels she “was meant to host this show.” Season 25 of Big Brother will debut on Wednesday, Aug. 2 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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