Julie Chen Moonves on Rachel Reilly’s ‘epic’ return to ‘Big Brother,’ and what was mouthed to the camera after being ‘kidnapped’

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Welcome to Reality Derby, Gold Derby's weekly deep dive into all things reality TV, hosted by senior editors Marcus James Dixon and Denton Davidson. Watch the latest episode above.

As Big Brother celebrates its landmark 25th anniversary this year, host Julie Chen Moonves sits down for an exclusive interview in which she reflects on her journey with CBS' iconic reality TV show and why she thinks Rachel Reilly is still the "queen."

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"I have learned that I can show my personal side," Chen Moonves shares about what she's learned about hosting over the past two and a half decades. She has "really evolved" from a strictly news personality to the often playful host that fans see today. "Moderating The Talk for eight years helped me also learn that I can show my personality on the show, and just to have fun with it and not take myself so seriously, or the game, or any unexpected glitches that happen on live television."

With Season 27 underway, Chen Moonves says her favorite moment of the summer so far is Rachel's return. "Her entrance was just epic," the host beams. "After 14 years, she may be a wife and a mother now, but she's still that girl who won against all odds." Rachel is playing for the first time without her husband Brendon Villegas, which the host sees as an advantage. "It's going to be better that she's playing without Brendon," she asserts, recalling how their relationship "interfered" with Rachel's drive early on. The real test for Rachel, however, will be adapting to the "evolved" competitions of modern Big Brother. "We saw that with Janelle Pierzina, who was a comp beast," she notes about the former all star.

In an unprecedented twist, Chen Moonves was "kidnapped" by the Mastermind's Accomplice, leading her into the Big Brother backyard where she interacted directly with the houseguests for the first time ever. "Suddenly to be in their quarters and part of a game, I loved it, but it was strange," she readily admits. She recalls challenge winner Zach Cornell's excited reaction to her presence, which created "a moment." As for her brief captivity in the tiny closet, she divulges, "They had a camera on me, so at one point as they were playing the game, I turned the camera and I [mouthed], 'Help me.' I knew eyes were on me, and I could get out if I needed to."

A mainstay on the program is Zingbot, a wise-cracking robot who roasts the players each summer. Gold Derby tells Chen Moonves that we'd love to see Zingbot interact with a "Chenbot" robot one day, alluding to her infamous nickname. "I like it," she responds. "I would love a face-off between me and Zingbot. But I can't compete with it. We would have to do something else. We could be in some sort of competition, or be dynamic duo visitors in the house."

Rachel Reilly, Big Brother 27CBS

The beloved AI Arena, now known as the BB Blockbuster, has made a significant return, breathing new life into the eviction episodes. "It really has put the element of surprise back into the live show," Chen Moonves explains. Earlier seasons often saw predictable, landslide eviction votes, with houseguests even shying away from sympathy votes to avoid becoming targets. "Now, with this element of BB Blockbuster ... you see the live campaigning happening in real time," which makes for truly surprising outcomes.

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Chen Moonves is "so proud" seeing Big Brother alumni flourish on other reality shows like The Amazing Race, House of Villains, and The Traitors. "It really is such a nice acknowledgement and tip of the hat to our show that knows how to pick people," she says. Is it nice to have someone like Rachel back in the Big Brother house after appearing on so many rival shows? "Absolutely. I mean, she is a queen," the host declares.

The first eviction episode of Season 27 takes place Thursday, July 17 on CBS. "I am excited to see who goes home first," Chen Moonves concludes while acknowledging that early evictees are often "forgotten about" by finale night.

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