Will Big Brother Bring Back The Hamster Wheel? Producers Say They Received Death Threats After Controversy With Rachel Reilly

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Throughout its 27 seasons, *Big Brother* has often faced criticism, and even popular seasons aren’t without issues. Thankfully, this season didn’t have any problems serious enough to require removing a player. However, it did upset some viewers, particularly after Rachel Reilly lost out on the prize money due to the hamster wheel competition, which unfortunately led to death threats aimed at the producers. This raises the question: will the wheel be used again in future seasons?

If you missed Season 13’s Rachel Reilly’s return to *Big Brother* on CBS or Paramount+, you might have been surprised to see her eliminated unexpectedly. She failed a sudden “Hamster Wheel” challenge, and instead of a typical eviction, she was simply removed from the game. This caused a strong reaction from fans, but it seems the show’s producers were even more concerned about the situation.

Big Brother’s Allison Grodner Received Death Threats After The Hamster Wheel

In an interview with EW, *Big Brother* producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan acknowledged they had seen the negative reaction from fans to the Hamster Wheel twist, which originated in *Reindeer Games*. Grodner also revealed she had received death threats after Rachel was eliminated from the show.

She didn’t detail the threats, but the producers agreed that such a strong reaction after 27 seasons is a good sign for the show’s future. However, it’s upsetting to hear fans making threats, especially since it’s just a game. For viewers at home, where there’s no money at stake, these threats are even more unnecessary and could have serious consequences.

Will The Hamster Wheel Return In Future Big Brother Seasons?

After the strong reactions to the Hamster Wheel when it first appeared on *Big Brother* in Season 27, many people thought it would never be used again. However, an interviewer asked about its future and received this response from Rich Meehan:

We’re considering it, and it’s possible it could return. However, we’re not sure if it will be a regular feature every season.

Big Brother fans who didn’t like the random evictions happening late in the game might be disappointed. However, it’s also possible that the show’s producers are just keeping things mysterious. They didn’t officially announce the ‘BB Blockbuster’ would be a regular part of the show until after it started, even though a similar challenge, the ‘AI Arena,’ was very popular in a previous season.

As a huge *Big Brother* fan, I have to say that even though Rachel Reilly wasn’t the one sent home on the Hamster Wheel, the whole twist felt really weak for Season 27. I’m totally fine with a surprise elimination that doesn’t involve the houseguests voting, but doing it so late in the game—two months in!—just didn’t work for me. Honestly, if they *had* to include that challenge, I would’ve much preferred it happen before the jury started, or, even better, just skipped it altogether.

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The current season of Big Brother has finished, but people are saying a short winter season might be happening. I’d be really excited if that were true, and I’m expecting to hear an official announcement soon.

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2025-10-06 23:08