But, first! Host Julie Chen Moonves has some thoughts heading into the premiere of Celebrity Big Brother season 3.
Us Weekly caught up with the CBS personality 52, after the cast reveal to get her thoughts on the 11 celebrities competing this season to win $250,000.
The houseguests include former NBA player Lamar Odom, ‘NSync singer Chris Kirkpatrick, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey, former Saturday Night Live comedian Chris Kattan, Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu, singer and dancer Todrick Hall, former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp, model and reality star Shanna Moakler, Diff’rent Strokes star Todd Bridges, former UFC champ Miesha Tate and Queer Eye star Carson Kressley.
“This is a group that has a lot of life behind them. A lot of up and a lot of down,” Chen Moonves exclusively tells Us Weekly. “I love this cast because at the end of the day, these houseguests are all survivors and people who are still putting it out there and working. I love and respect that!”
As for her frontrunners, the former Talk cohost says, “Todrick, Carson and Shanna stand out to me. But, it’s early!”
Todrick and Shanna are self-described superfans, which Chen Moonves says can be an advantage “only if they can temper it and not wear it on their sleeve,” adding that they need “to not get ahead of themselves because of it.”
She sees a potential dark horse in Miesha, who has “brains and brawn,” the former news anchor says.
Chen Moonves admits she’s not involved in the casting process even though she “wishes” she were so she could cast her dream houseguests: “Snoop Dog. Darryl Strawberry. Martha Stewart.”
As excited as she is for the season, the longtime host is keeping mum on any upcoming twists: “You know better than to ask, but I’m still glad you did!”
Celebrity Big Brother premieres on CBS Wednesday, February 2, at 8/7c.
