Big Brother 18: News, Rumors and More Rumors

Many of the rumors regarding the cast will be either shown to be right or way off base by tomorrow. For some reason, the BB18 cast hamsters will not go through the media interviews -- the only cast interviews will be those on CBS All Access. That, of course, is also where we'll access the live feeds once they go live late next week.

Why all the secrecy? Well, we usually have secrecy going on at this point. However, this is a first that outside media won't be talking to the sequestered hamsters. Hmm. I just don't know. If All Access has the information up early enough tomorrow East Coast time, I'll be posting before I go to work. If it's up later, it won't be until very late Monday night. Unfortunately, I still have to work for a living.

Here's the timeline as far as I can discern:

1. Rumor: CBS did the hamster pick-ups at their local towns this past Tuesday through Thursday.
2. Fact: All Access will do the cast reveal tomorrow, Monday, June 13th.
3. Probably: The hamsters will be sequestered in hotels until Wednesday or Thursday of this week, then move into the house. They're always there for a week or so before the season premiere. While I hate that we miss that initial time on the live feeds (so much can happen!), I understand they need show fodder for the season premiere.
4. Fact: The season premiere will be a two-hour show airing at 8pm ET/PT on Wednesday, June 22. We, but of course, will have a blog party as it airs East Coast time.
5. Fact: The second episode will air Thursday, June 23 at 9pm ET/PT. If all is like the past, it should be a live eviction show.
6. Fact: The live feeds will kick in live on Thursday 6/23 (Friday 6/24 to us East Coast voyeurs) after the show airs on the West Coast. We're talking 10pm PT or (wah) 1am ET. 
7. Fact: The show's regular airing schedule is as it has been for the past several seasons -- hour-long episodes on Sunday 8pm, Wednesday 8pm and Thursday 9pm. 
8. Fact: POP TV, the old TV Guide cable station will once again have nightly BB After Dark shows. I won't have access to them this year because Comcast (Xfinity) decided to drop the station. 

Hey ... what about the hamsters?

I just don't know. I'll know tomorrow, but not today.

Reality Blurred has an article claiming it's the Coach approach once again. They claim returning players Ian Terry, Audrey Middleton (huh ... what could she coach?), Vanessa Rousso and Derrick Lavasseur.  Meanwhile, Ian Terry denies he's going to be on the show on his Twitter page. Derrick posted a photo of him with his baby and pug dog yesterday on Twitter, thanking CBS for letting him bring them into sequester with him. So ... this needs to be taken with a grain of salt, for sure.

They also claim in that article that there will be twelve newbies, two of whom have a connection of some sort. We'll just see about that!

Meanwhile, BB18 Leaks, often a dependable source, claims no coaches but more than six returning hamsters. You can peek in on their Twitter feed at this link.

BigBrotherAccess.com has a list of oddness regarding the cast and the two-hour premiere (it's usually an hour) at this link.

Is the house different?

Yeah, it seems to be an international theme. I don't believe the ET episode with the house tour has aired yet. But many sites have photos, including this one from BigBrotherAccess.com. Supposedly, the bathroom floor is sand. That will be great for the ants!

In the yard, it's now a rectangular pool with the hot tub occupying a corner of it.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the anxiously awaited cast reveal!