She’s headed home to her man. Bayleigh Dayton became the fifth person voted out of Big Brother: All-Stars on Thursday, September 10, and she’s seemingly at peace with her second stint on the CBS reality show.
The 27-year-old model was put on the block next to her friend Da’Vonne Rogers by Head of Household Christmas Abbott after Bayleigh told her in confidence that Day was her No. 1 ally, or her “untouchable.”
Christmas used that information as a reason to put them up together. Then, a post-veto conversation between her and Da’Vonne escalated when Christmas started clapping and getting loud. She then put her fingers in Bayleigh’s face, saying, “F–k off.”
Da’Vonne retreated to the backyard where she paced around in tears. “Control your emotions,” she told herself. “Because if you cuss her out, everybody’s gonna blame you. … Why does she get to talk to me like that, but if I respond, everybody’s gonna look at me crazy?”
Between that and Bayleigh’s frenemy from season 20, Tyler Crispen, momentarily volunteering to go up on the block as a replacement nominee and then Christmas not following through with it, it was a tough for days for both Bayleigh and Da’Vonne.
“I know you guys are here for a greater reason,” Tyler told them earlier in the week. “I see how bad you want to be here, and I feel guilty that I don’t want to be here that bad. I don’t want to take that away from either one of you guys. I was going to ask Christmas if she could use the veto on one of you and put me up today. I want to go home because I owe you guys that.”
The veto wasn’t used and Bayleigh was ultimately evicted by a vote of 10-0. Meanwhile, her husband, Christopher “Swaggy C” Williams, whom she met during season 20, just wanted her to come home before the jury portion of the game. “Just bought Bayleigh a brand new 2020 Tesla Model S. I hope she’s here Friday to see it so she’s away from all that stress,” he tweeted.
What are her thoughts on Christmas and Tyler now? Does she plan to link up with Janelle Pierzina soon? And is she really done with reality TV forever? Check out our interview.
Us Weekly: How are you feeling this morning?
Bayleigh Dayton: I’m feeling blessed. I really do, so I am at a place where I have peace. I believe everything happens for a reason, so I’m very happy. For one, I get to be a spokesperson for everything that means so much to me too, that I was evicted pre-jury and I can go home to my loving husband and my beautiful dog. And three, that I got to play one of two all-star seasons. I just feel incredibly blessed.
Us: Fans were puzzled as to why Christmas originally targeted you and Da’Vonne. There was a lot of talk about her being your “untouchable” and all that, but have you had any more clarity on why you were put up?
BD: No. We haven’t talked about it, and I don’t believe it was because of the “untouchable” conversation. I believe it’s because one of two things. Either she knew exactly what she was doing and she just didn’t want to say it. Or there was a group of people egging her on and kind of setting her up for a trap, knowing she would be the one crazy enough to do it. And she would have to take the heat and the fall for that.
Us: When Tyler offered himself as a replacement nominee, I know you weren’t sure if he was being genuine. Why didn’t he give you a heads up when they decided they weren’t actually using the veto?
DB: I wish he would have and that’s the part that that’s really, really upsetting. And that’s what’s hard because I haven’t gotten to see everything in full, but there’s a reason to question his motives. And like I said, for me as a person, I would hope that he wouldn’t use something so sensitive and not be up-front with it. But there’s also a part of me that has said openly, “I know Tyler. I know how he plays this game, and he wouldn’t set himself up for failure.” So he knew she wasn’t gonna use it even before he even thought of the idea to offer an ask. He knew that. They were working together closely and that would jeopardize her game. In my heart, I would just hope, for human sake, that he wouldn’t be that mean. I would just say, I think it was more for his conscience than it was for mine.
Us: That’s fair. You did have a conversation before the eviction. Can you just talk a little bit about what you guys discussed?
DB: I just told Tyler that I was tired. I am tired. It’s been three long years of up and downs, lots of personal things, lots of fighting. And I don’t spend my energy like that in the real world. So now that we’re walking out of the Big Brother house, I’m leaving, this is our second time playing together. Let’s leave everything here and let’s not bring it into the real world because the last time, it spread out for a minimum of two years. So I just said, “Hey, I said when I walked through this door the first time that we were squashing it and we could move forward. Obviously you didn’t get the memo and you decided to spread some things. I’m giving you another chance again. Hey, listen, it’s squashed. And if you bring it outside of this house, that’s on you.”
Us: We saw the argument with Christmas play out. You and Da’Vonne were trying to calm the situation while also explaining that if you behaved like she was behaving toward you, it would be viewed very differently. Do you think the houseguests fully understand that concept, that double standard?
DB: No, I really don’t think they do, but I think that when they get home and they watch it, I think they’ll have no choice, but to either understand or to educate themselves or to figure it out. I’m so, so proud of how Day and I — for the way that went down because it could have been one of those situations. But I really don’t think that she understood because even after the situation, she said that she felt like she was the one that was attacked by us. So I don’t think it’s clicked in her head.
Us: We did love seeing your friendship with Da’Vonne blossom though. Did this experience just bring you closer together?
BD: Da’Vonne and I met when we walked in the door. I immediately knew we were grouped together, for one, but we also really enjoy each other. So I’m very grateful that I got to meet her. I’m very grateful that we got [to form] a genuine friendship. And I was sharing with her that I met my husband on this show and we only knew each other for 23 days. Da’Vonne and I have known each other a little longer on the show, so she’s stuck with me forever. So our friendship is like ride or die, sisterhood for life.
Us: Love that. We also had fun watching your friendship with Janelle develop. She met up with Swaggy after her eviction.
DB: Good! I told them to, but I didn’t know. I love Janelle. She’s a queen as well. She is another strong sister, you know, that I wish we would’ve had in the house the whole time, cause she’s a ride or die like us. And I’m obsessed with her, so I’m happy she feels the same way about me.
Us: At one point on the live feeds, you told Kevin [Campbell], “Swaggy would want me to come home.” And you were right. You know him. He tweeted that exact thing.
DB: If I can’t win the game and I had an opportunity [to go out] pre-jury, he was not going to be mad about me coming home. He’s not disappointed in me. He loves me. And he thinks I’m the best human ever.
Us: So who do you think is playing a good game right now? Who do you think can get far and win?
DB: So good game and good life are different. So let’s separate that. I do think that regardless of the stumbles, I still think Tyler is going to go really far because in our season, Tyler would do things like this, get himself into trouble, then get himself out and it makes him look like he’s playing an even better game. So I think Tyler is still going to go very far. I think Cody [Calafiore] is going to go very far because even though he’s been a little bit everywhere with his manipulation and lies, and 12 different alliances, Dani [Donato-Briones] and Nicole [Franzel] are a little bit bigger targets than him. And so is Tyler. So I think Cody will slip through the cracks a little bit and go far. And I just pray and hope that Enzo [Palumbo] and Da’Vonne do well as well.
Us: Were you surprised by how much you connected with Enzo?
DB: I’m so happy. Enzo, and even in his goodbye message, he’s like, “You’re the sister I never had.” He makes me cry because he is genuinely such a good human being, down to the core and so thoughtful. When he was getting emotional, he’s putting on his shades and we were literally like BFFs and I’m so happy that I have him. I know that him and I, and Swaggy, are going to be really good friends when this is over.
Us: What was your reaction when you got the call for All-Stars? Were you hesitant at all?
DB: Yes and no. I make my decisions with my husband. Cause I guess that’s normal. I told Swaggy and then we just like looked at each other and we’re like, “Oh my God. What do we do?” He was immediately like, “You have to go.” And I’m like, “Are you sure?” You know, this is so scary. I’ve never done a show without him. He goes home before me in all the shows we do, whatever, but I’ve never done a show without him. So he was just like, “Bay, this is bigger than us. One, it’s All-Stars. They haven’t done it. This is only the second All-Stars in history. This is an honor to be called.” And secondly, “There’s never been a Black winner of Big Brother and you have to go because you have to at least raise the chances of that happening.” So I’m happy I did. There was no doubt in my mind. I love Big Brother. I love CBS. So whenever they call me, they know they can lure me into some things.
Us: So does that mean we may see you again?
DB: If they want me to. If they decide then yeah, I’ll be back.
Us: You told Julie Chen you didn’t want to be defined by your experience on BB20. Are you coming out of this season in a better place?
DB: Oh yeah, all the wounds. I feel like I just went on a retreat where I just had to do some healing. I went back to the first place Swaggy and I met, then where I was screaming at Tyler. I’ve been back. I’ve looked him dead in the face, stared at all my demons and I’m refreshed. I’m feeling great.
Us: So what is next for Swayleigh? Swaggy did say you were done with reality TV!
DB: I think he is assuming that my Big Brother career is over. So, if that’s the case, done. I’m hanging up my reality TV [hat], but if they decide to call us for Amazing Race, we might go. I don’t know. We just have to figure it out. But yeah, we’ll make the decision together.
Us: It would be fun to see you guys on The Race.
DB: If he wants to, cause I know he said he was done too. So if he wants to, then we can go.
Big Brother airs Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on CBS at 8 p.m. ET.
