A last minute change. Houseguest Christie Valdiserri will no longer be playing Big Brother 23 and has been replaced by Claire Rehfuss.
The professional dancer, 27, tested positive for COVID-19, but has “no idea” how she contracted it, according to a video she posted to the Big Brother Instagram account.
“I have the vaccine and I’ve been following all the guidelines up until this point,” she says. “I have absolutely no symptoms. I feel perfectly fine, so I’m really grateful for that. But it’s really frustrating because I won’t be playing in Big Brother this summer.”
The Philadelphia native goes on to say,” I just have to say that when you’re faced with adversity, just telling myself it’s for a bigger reason and I want to believe that. I don’t know the reason yet. I’ve had a roller coaster of emotions the last 48 hours and as I’ve been reading through all the comments online, whether they’re good or bad, I just have to say, I put myself out there and shared this vulnerability of being bald and all the comments, good or bad, are affecting everybody else that also is bald, and experiences this vulnerability.”
Valdiserri suffers from Alopecia, also known as hair loss, and ended her message with positivity, saying, “So spread love. And whether you’re just finding out about Alopecia or you know what Alopecia is, you know that we’re unstoppable. And I’m going to bounce back in one way or another.”
She is being replaced by 25-year-old AI engineer Rehfuss who plans to “try to get out the strong alpha dudes early.”
Big Brother 23 premieres on CBS Wednesday, July 7, at 8 p.m. ET.
