Yahoo Lifestyle 'Big Brother' Announces Winner and 'The Challenge' Alum for "Reindeer Games" Spin-Off
Josh Martinez
Big Brother just concluded its longest season ever, spanning a whopping 100 days. But we're not done with the veteran reality series for the year, as CBS has rolled out a new Big Brother Reindeer Games holiday special, a six-episode, two-week event beginning December 11.
We so far know three of the nine houseguests competing: Season 25's Cameron Hardin, season 24 winner Taylor Hale, and season 12 and 14's Britney Haynes But Parade.com can exclusively reveal the fourth alum returning for some holiday fun and a shot at $100,000: Season 19 winner Josh Martinez.
Related: Everything to Know About Big Brother Reindeer Games
Sonja Flemming/CBS
Across 25 seasons, Josh is definitely one of the show's most controversial winners. Through Big Brother 19, he got into fights and had emotional breakdowns, letting his temper flare and tears fall. Perhaps the image most associated with him was his tactics to rile up his rivals, donning a green tutu, banging pots and pans, and singing circus music. Despite being perceived as too flippant and not much of a player, he was closely aligned with the mastermind of the season in Paul Abrahamian. Winning the final Head of Household, he chose to take them to the end. But it turned out to be the right decision, as Paul had burned enough allies that Josh squeaked through with an unpredictable 5-4 win.
Believe it or not, that was just the start of Josh's reality TV career, though. Though he nearly appeared on season 22, only to get turned down last minute due to a positive COVID test, Josh has spent the past five years as a mainstay on MTV's The Challenge. Making his debut in 2018, he has played on six seasons of the veteran reality show so far. His behavior carried over between shows, as he was quick to get into fights with friends and foes alike. He even changed nicknames, going from "The Meatball" to "The Goof." Josh was most recently on this summer's The Challenge: USA season 2, where he was eliminated right before the finale after betraying one of his close friends Johnny Bananas.
Reindeer Games will involve nine previous Big Brother houseguests--including one from the recently-wrapped season 25--receiving an invitation from Santa to compete in a brand-new game. Over six installments, they'll play in a variety of holiday-themed competitions. Each episode features three challenges, culminating in “Santa’s Showdown” which determines which player goes home at the end of that episode. The competition will winnow until four Big Brother legends remain. In the finale, one player will walk away with Santa's blessing, and a $100,000 grand prize to boot.
Stay tuned to Parade.com for more information on the cast as it's revealed. Big Brother Reindeer Games premieres with a special two-hour episode on Monday, December 11 from 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Next, check out our interview with Big Brother 25 winner Jag Bains.
