The Exclusive With Sharon Tharp

Big Brother 2 legend Monica Bailey joins The Exclusive for a wide-ranging in-studio conversation, revealing the real reason she believes she was cut from All-Stars at the last minute and why she says CBS still "owes her one." Monica revisits the surreal experience of learning about the 9/11 attacks—and the disappearance of her cousin—while sequestered in the Big Brother house, and reflects on predicting years before The Cookout that a Black houseguest couldn't win the game. She also opens up about her decades-long friendships with Dr. Will Kirby and Mike "Boogie" Malin, shares whether she'd ever return to Big Brother, and...

New Big Brother: Unlocked panelist Jerry O'Connell joins The Exclusive to share his unfiltered thoughts on the explosive second week of Big Brother 28. The actor and longtime superfan explains why he believes one houseguest is playing the "messiest" game in the house, weighs in on the growing power of the Icons alliance, and reveals the move he thinks the newbies need to make before it's too late. Jerry also reacts to Rome's eviction, shares why he's impressed with Taylor's loyalty, and opens up about why he'd jump at the chance to compete on Celebrity Big Brother.

SPOILER WARNING: This audio contains major spoilers for the latest episode of Big Brother 28, including the eliminated player.The second houseguest evicted from Big Brother 28, Rome Seymour, joins The Exclusive to break down the mistake he believes cost him the game. The pickleball coach reacts to Lyric voting to evict him, explains why he has no regrets about their showmance, and reflects on putting too much trust in Rick Devens during his Head of Household reign. Rome also reveals who he planned to target had he stayed in the game, the surprising alliance he hoped to build...

Big Brother 27's Jimmy Heagerty joins The Exclusive to recap an explosive second week of Big Brother 28. Jimmy shares his thoughts on Angela's game so far, Rick Devens' chaotic Head of Household reign, the formation of new alliances like The Toolshed, and the strategic fallout that has already reshaped the game. He also weighs in on the growing divide inside the house, the players making the biggest mistakes, who's in the best position moving forward, and whether this wild week has permanently shifted the balance of power. Plus, Jimmy reveals which houseguests he's most impressed by—and who he believes co...

Big Brother 28's first evicted houseguest, Ashley Trail, joins The Exclusive to break down what really went wrong during her first week in the house. Ashley opens up about the unanimous vote that sent her packing, why campaigning by naming the "other side of the house" ultimately tanked her game, and the alliance she hoped to build had she survived the Blockbuster competition. She also reveals who she would have targeted, shares which houseguests she believes are playing the strongest games so far, reacts to Rick Devens winning Head of Household, and explains why she'd jump at the chance to...

Julie Chen Moonves joins The Exclusive to break down the first week of Big Brother 28, and she isn't holding back. The longtime host explains why she believes Rick Devens made his biggest mistake of the season, reveals why Dee Valladares has completely won her over, and shares which houseguests she's already rooting for. Julie also opens up about the show's biggest premiere in five years, what she thinks is fueling the ratings surge, teases what fans can expect from the milestone 1,000th episode, and reveals the classic Big Brother twists and punishments she'd love to see return.

Survivor 50 winner Aubry Bracco joins The Exclusive to recap the wild first week of Big Brother 28 and share her unique perspective on former tribemates Dee Valladares and Rick Devens. Aubry explains why she believes Dee was "made for" the Big Brother format, breaks down Devens' chaotic but loyal gameplay, and weighs in on the powerful Crossovers alliance, the Red Corner, and the emerging battle against the returning reality TV veterans. She also shares her thoughts on Angela Murray's surprising position in the game, the players who have impressed her most so far, and reveals her early winner pick for the...

Big Brother 13 winner Rachel Reilly joins The Exclusive to reveal the story behind her surprise Big Brother 28 appearance, from secretly entering the house and forming alliances to being dramatically thrown into a volcano by a Velociraptor. Rachel shares behind-the-scenes details from filming the premiere, explains how production pulled off the twist, and reacts to Angela's surprising celebration after her exit. She also weighs in on Dee's first HOH reign, Jason's strategy of targeting the returning players, the season's first showmance, and why she's optimistic about the Big Brother 28 cast—and even teases whether she'd ever return to compete again.

With two Survivor stars officially joining the Big Brother 28 cast, Survivor 49 and 50 player Rizo Velovic joins The Exclusive to give Big Brother fans the ultimate crash course on Rick Devens and Dee Valladares. Having played alongside both of them on Survivor 50, Rizo breaks down each player's biggest strengths and weaknesses, how their Survivor games could translate to the Big Brother house, and why Dee and Rick could become two of the season's biggest threats. He also shares behind-the-scenes insight into their personalities, strategy, and relationship outside the game before making his predictions for their Big Brother 28 journeys.

Big Brother 4 winner Jun Song joins The Exclusive to break down the entire Big Brother 28 cast before the premiere. The reality TV legend shares her first impressions of every new houseguest, reveals who she thinks has the best chance to win, predicts the first boots, and explains which contestants she's already skeptical of after digging through their social media and LinkedIn profiles. Jun also weighs in on the season's returning reality TV veterans, discusses the evolution of modern Big Brother casting and reflects on why she never returned to play again.

Big Brother 28 is officially underway, and host Sharon Tharp is sharing her unfiltered first impressions of the first 14 houseguests entering the game. From superfans and recruits to potential showmances, early winner contenders, and players already giving "early boot" energy, Sharon reacts in real time to each contestant's introductory video and breaks down who stands out, who raises red flags, and who could surprise once the game begins. She also weighs in on the cast overall, the apparent lack of hardcore fans, and how the incoming mystery players could shake up the season.

Josh Martinez joins The Exclusive for his first in-depth interview following his fourth-place finish on La Casa de los Famosos. The Big Brother winner and The Challenge veteran opens up about surviving 115 days inside the house and why he says it was the hardest reality competition he's ever faced. Josh reflects on the emotional toll of the game, the racist and anti-Latino comments he says he endured, the two moments he nearly quit, and how seeing his mom during a family visit gave him the strength to keep going. He also discusses the overwhelming support he received f...

Padma Lakshmi joins host Sharon Tharp on The Exclusive to discuss creating and executive producing America's Culinary Cup, the ambitious new food competition series she designed to challenge the conventions of reality television. The Emmy-nominated host opens up about taking creative risks, eliminating many of the genre's most common tropes, and why she refused to sequester contestants during production.Lakshmi also reflects on reinventing the cooking competition format, creating a high-end environment for chefs to perform at their best, the strategic elements inspired by shows like Survivor, and the lessons she's learned from decades in television. Plus...

Chef Jonathan Dearden joins The Exclusive following his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 to reflect on his journey through the competition, the ambitious pumpkin and brioche dish that ultimately sent him home, and why he believes the judges were forced to nitpick as the field narrowed. Jonathan opens up about the pressure of cooking alongside his brother Brandon, shares his unfiltered thoughts on the controversial challenges, and reveals why he was surprised to find himself on the bottom. He also discusses Sieger's heated Judges' Table confrontation, calling the moment "very uncomfortable," explains what viewers didn't see from the exchange, weighs...

Chef Anthony Jones joins The Exclusive following his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 to reflect on his journey, the rabbit challenge that sent him home, and the judges' critiques that he still questions. The chef opens up about why he found the "disjointed" criticism of his Michelin-inspired plating "odd," weighs in on fellow contestant Sieger's decision to push back at Judges' Table, and shares his thoughts on some of the season's most controversial challenges. Anthony also discusses the shrinking margin for error as the competition progressed, the advice he received from former Top Chef winner Tristen Epps before filming, and...

Big Brother 27 finalist Morgan Pope joins The Exclusive to recap the Survivor 50 finale after attending the live reunion in Los Angeles. Morgan reacts to Aubry Bracco’s emotional win, explains why she believes Aubry’s adaptability earned her the title, and weighs in on the online debate over whether the jury was truly “bitter” toward Jonathan and Joe.Morgan also shares her firsthand reaction to Jeff Probst accidentally spoiling the fire-making challenge result live in the theater and what the atmosphere inside the room was actually like during the chaotic moment. Plus, Sharon and Morgan break down several...

The latest chef eliminated from Top Chef Season 23, Brandon Deaden, joins The Exclusive to break down the Restaurant Wars service that sent him home. Brandon reflects on taking the line cook role to help his team succeed, why he believes focusing too much on service hurt his individual dish, and the inconsistent rice pudding mistake that ultimately sealed his fate. He also opens up about the behind-the-scenes chaos viewers didn’t fully see, including communication breakdowns during service and why he believes timing and luck can play a huge role in Restaurant Wars. Plus, Brandon also discusses competing against his tw...

The latest chef eliminated from Top Chef Season 23, Oscar Diaz, joins The Exclusive to break down the small mistakes and kitchen chaos that led to his exit. Oscar reflects on the pressure of the combined Quickfire and Elimination challenge, the turmeric spill that left his face “on fire,” and why he thinks the judges misunderstood the intention behind his rice dish. He also opens up about the mental toll of filming, constantly moving locations, and trying to stay calm while cameras followed every move in the kitchen. Plus, Oscar shares what viewers didn’t fully see about the cast dynamic, how be...

Tiffany Nicole Ervin joins The Exclusive after her heartbreaking fifth-place finish on Survivor 50 to reflect on losing the game by just one puzzle piece and why she truly believes she would have won had she reached the Final Tribal Council. The Survivor 46 alum opens up about overcoming early skepticism from fans and fellow players, navigating the game after losing her closest allies early, and how her social game helped her survive despite becoming an early target. Tiffany also breaks down her close bond with Cirie, explains why she ultimately respected and voted for Aubry’s winning game, and pushes back on...

Rizo Velovic joins The Exclusive after his heartbreaking fourth-place finish on Survivor 50 to react to Jeff Probst accidentally spoiling his fire-making elimination live during the finale and why he’s choosing to embrace the moment as part of his Survivor legacy. The Season 49 alum reflects on going out in fire for the second season in a row, explains why Aubry ultimately didn’t want to sit next to him at the Final Tribal Council, and breaks down the faction-based gameplay that shaped the endgame. Rizo also responds to criticism from Ozzy and Chrissy, shares why he has “zero regrets” about not warn...