Rachel Reilly has found a way to survive another wild twist in the Big Brother franchise.
“I’m here. I’m alive. That was a crazy experience,” Rachel, 41, shared via Instagram on Thursday, July 9, after making a surprise appearance on the CBS reality show’s season 28 premiere. “Now, I can officially say that I have never been evicted from the Big Brother house for two seasons in a row.”
During Thursday’s premiere, host Julie Chen Moonves surprised the contestants by announcing Survivor’s Rick Devens and Big Brother alum Angela Murray would be joining the show.
In another twist, Rachel also entered the house to participate in a challenge. Ultimately, her visit was cut short when she was pushed by a velociraptor into a volcano to her fiery death. (A new reality TV legend is expected to take her spot in an upcoming episode.)
“So, the volcano was extremely hot,” Rachel said after the show. “It was much better than the White Locust because that was horrible. But I will say, once you hit the volcano, you just evaporate. You’re good. No big deal.”
Rachel — who won season 13 in 2011 — is no stranger to the game. She first competed in season 12, where she met her husband, Brendon Villegas. The couple, who tied the knot in 2012, took their talents to The Amazing Race that same year.
The reality TV star also competed on season 27, but was sent to the jury house after failing to complete the White Locust challenge in time.
After Thursday’s season premiere, Julie reflected on seeing a beloved cast member return to the show.
“Rachel Reilly RIP. Only the good die young. But then again… knowing Rachel Reilly, she probably has made the lava her minions, faked her own death, had Brendon in the dinosaur suit, and is coming back for revenge on Angela for celebrating her demise,” Julie, 56, joked to Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Friday, July 10. “Although one must always expect the unexpected in the BB World, in Rachel Reilly’s world, you should always expect her to somehow get the last laugh!”
With the season just getting started, Julie certainly can’t predict who is going to make an unforgettable impression this summer. At the same time, she wouldn’t be surprised if a few familiar faces make quite the splash.
“I am wondering if Angela will be this season’s version of who Rachel Reilly was last year: the Queen,” Julie speculated. “She was definitely received like a rock star surprising their fans. As for Rick/Devens, the only person I saw freaking out was Angela. She is clearly a fan. But the others didn’t seem to know too much about who he is.”
Big Brother airs on CBS Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Stream episodes on Paramount+.
