CBS Announces the 13 Big Brother 12 Housemates

News, Shows

Big Brother welcomes 13 new Houseguests when CBS’s summer series premieres Thursday, July 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Below are the 13 Houseguests who will compete in the new season of Big Brother:

Lane Elenburg, 24
Decatur, Texas
Oil Rig Salesman

Ragan Fox, 34
Los Angeles, Calif.
College Professor

Andrew Gordon, 39
Miami Beach, Fla.
Podiatrist

Britney Haynes, 22
Huntington, Ark.
Hotel Sales Manager

Kathy Hillis, 40
Texarkana, Ark.
Deputy Sheriff

Matt Hoffman, 32
Elgin, Ill.
Web designer

Hayden Moss, 24
Tempe, Ariz.
College Student

Enzo Palumbo, 32
Bayonne, N.J.
Insurance Adjuster

Rachel Reilly, 26
Las Vegas, Nev.
Chemistry Graduate Student/VIP Cocktail Waitress

Monet Stunson, 24
Glen Carbon, Ill.
Model

Brendon Villegas, 30
Riverside, Calif.
High School Swim Coach

Annie Whittington, 27
Tampa, Fla.
Bartender

Kristen Bitting, 24
Philadelphia, Pa.
Shoe Boutique Manager

For the first time in the history of the series, one contestant will not be playing to win the half million dollar prize. Instead, this Houseguest will play the role of the Big Brother Saboteur, whose sole mission will be to disrupt the lives of their fellow Houseguests.

Upon moving into the house on premiere night, Houseguests will discover that one of them is not really there to win the game, but rather to sabotage their fellow players. While the saboteur’s identity will remain a secret to the Houseguests, America will learn his/her identity on Thursday, July 15, during the first LIVE show. If the Saboteur is able to make it to the halfway point of the game, a financial reward awaits. Fans can tune into the premiere on July 8 or visit http://www.cbs.com/bbtwist to learn more about how they can submit viewer suggestions.

This season, Houseguests will be surrounded by an Art Deco themed “Playground by the Shore.” The Big Brother house will be accented with palm tree groves and walls of glass, while the exterior of the house is lifted straight from Miami’s Ocean Avenue. The Art Deco theme continues in the living room with ultra-modern furniture, white accents, glass tables and glass along the walls. The Palm Bedroom features crisp white beds and neon green linens and pays homage to vintage Miami. The Sunset Bedroom, located in the rear of the house, is a glow of warm orange and bronze-hued décor where the walls are lined with curved glass blocks that were custom built for the Big Brother house.

Once again this season, Houseguests on the losing side of select competitions will be banished to the “Have Not Room,” where luxury and comfort are non-existent.

Following the premiere on Thursday, July 8 (8:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT), BIG BROTHER will be broadcast three nights weekly, beginning Sunday, July 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), Wednesday, July 14 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) and the LIVE eviction show, hosted by Julie Chen, beginning Thursday, July 15 (8:00–9:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT).

Big Brother follows a group of people living together in a house outfitted with over 52 cameras and 95 microphones, recording their every move, 24 hours-a-day. Each week, the Houseguests will vote someone out of the house. At the end, the last remaining House Guest will receive the grand prize of $500,000.

For more information on this season of BIG BROTHER and the 13 new Houseguests, log on to CBS.com.

Credit: CBS

I'm not embarrassed to say that my favorite television show of all-time is The O.C. I live by the motto "you can't fight fate!" More importantly, I watch WAY too much television, but I do so for the benefit of everyone reading this now. So to my mom and my wife, I say thanks for reading! To everyone else that might stumble across this, remember TiVo should be your best friend!