For nearly 20 years, Sharon Tharp has been breaking news, landing exclusive interviews, and covering reality television's biggest stories. On The Exclusive, she takes fans behind the headlines with insider analysis, exclusive conversations, and behind-the-scenes access they won't find anywhere else.
Big Brother 25 alum Izzy Gleicher returns to The Exclusive to recap Week 4 of Big Brother 28, breaking down why Drew is still in denial even after being warned he doesn't have the votes. Izzy discusses the power imbalance fueling drama inside Haley's HOH, calls out the "chucklehead three" running the house, and makes the case for Taylor as this season's "sleeper agent." She also unpacks the secrecy around the Diamond Power of Veto, weighs in on the controversial BB Bribe, and reflects on Jason's blindside exit and the "fumble" she thinks is costing both sides the game. Plus: her read on Yash's floater era, Barrett's next move, and who she predicts is heading out the door this Thursday.
Drew's closest friend, who has been running his social media while he's in the Big Brother 28 house, joins The Exclusive for a special live podcast to break down one of the season's most talked-about games. After helping Drew prepare for the season and competing alongside him on Beast Games , he shares behind-the-scenes insight into Drew's strategy, the pregame planning that shaped his approach, where things went wrong with The Crossovers, and why he believes Drew can still recover. They also discuss Drew's relationships with Barrett, Melody and Angela, the mystery surrounding the Time Capsule power, and whether there's still a path forward if Drew survives the week.
SPOILER WARNING: This audio contains major spoilers for the latest episode of Big Brother 28, including the evicted player. Big Brother 28's third eliminated houseguest, Jason De Puy, joins The Exclusive to break down the house's unanimous vote to send him packing. The RuPaul's Drag Race alum (better known as Salina EsTitties) shares his surprise to finding out that Taylor — not Barrett — cast the mystery vote for Rome, admits he regrets not scrapping his "generic" final pitch, and opens up about the isolating "Tea Party" confrontation with Kamu that he says "felt personal." Jason also addresses the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in the house, reveals the full-drag nomination speech he never got to deliver, and names exactly who he'd have targeted had he kept his HOH. Plus: why he's ready to run it back and prove his "messy" game deserves a redo.
Big Brother 10's Michelle Costa joins The Exclusive for this edition of Memory Wall to break down everything from Keesha's birthday and her now-iconic "unitard meltdown" on live eviction night. The self-proclaimed Portuguese princess reflects on "clocking" Dan as America's Player long before anyone in the house believed her, the kitchen scene so tense it felt "like a funeral," and the surreal Catalina Island date where Dan told her, "This isn't Rhode Island, but it's paradise." Michelle also revisits the infamous jury house bomb she dropped just because she was "bored" — telling the house she'd vote for Memphis to win — and weighs in on whether Dan's game still holds up nearly two decades later. She wraps by explaining why, 18 years later, she still has "a lot of unfinished business" and is ready to run it back for another season in the house.
Survivor 42's Omar Zaheer joins The Exclusive to recap Week 3 of Big Brother 28, breaking down Kamu's Head of Household reign, the controversial Tea Party plan, and why he believes the house could be on the verge of imploding. Omar shares his thoughts on Dee and Rick Devens' games so far, whether the veterans are overplaying their positions, how the Diamond Power of Veto could reshape the season, and why players like Lyric, Barrett, Taylor, and Mallory may be in better spots than fans realize. Plus, Omar reveals his current winner pick, his biggest dark horse, and explains the strategic move he'd make if he were trying to take down the vets.
Big Brother 2 legend Monica Bailey joins The Exclusive for a wide-ranging in-studio conversation, revealing the real reason she believes she was cut from All-Stars at the last minute and why she says CBS still "owes her one." Monica revisits the surreal experience of learning about the 9/11 attacks—and the disappearance of her cousin—while sequestered in the Big Brother house, and reflects on predicting years before The Cookout that a Black houseguest couldn't win the game. She also opens up about her decades-long friendships with Dr. Will Kirby and Mike "Boogie" Malin, shares whether she'd ever return to Big Brother, and reveals she's already thrown her hat in the ring for The Traitors.
New Big Brother: Unlocked panelist Jerry O'Connell joins The Exclusive to share his unfiltered thoughts on the explosive second week of Big Brother 28. The actor and longtime superfan explains why he believes one houseguest is playing the "messiest" game in the house, weighs in on the growing power of the Icons alliance, and reveals the move he thinks the newbies need to make before it's too late. Jerry also reacts to Rome's eviction, shares why he's impressed with Taylor's loyalty, and opens up about why he'd jump at the chance to compete on Celebrity Big Brother.
The second houseguest evicted from Big Brother 28, Rome Seymour, joins The Exclusive to break down the mistake he believes cost him the game. The pickleball coach reacts to Lyric voting to evict him, explains why he has no regrets about their showmance, and reflects on putting too much trust in Rick Devens during his Head of Household reign. Rome also reveals who he planned to target had he stayed in the game, the surprising alliance he hoped to build had he survived the Blockbuster competition, and why he's already ready for another shot.
Big Brother 27's Jimmy Heagerty joins The Exclusive to recap an explosive second week of Big Brother 28. Jimmy shares his thoughts on Angela's game so far, Rick Devens' chaotic Head of Household reign, the formation of new alliances like The Toolshed, and the strategic fallout that has already reshaped the game. He also weighs in on the growing divide inside the house, the players making the biggest mistakes, who's in the best position moving forward, and whether this wild week has permanently shifted the balance of power. Plus, Jimmy reveals which houseguests he's most impressed by—and who he believes could be in serious trouble as the season continues.
Big Brother 28's first evicted houseguest, Ashley Trail, joins The Exclusive to break down what really went wrong during her first week in the house. Ashley opens up about the unanimous vote that sent her packing, why campaigning by naming the "other side of the house" ultimately tanked her game, and the alliance she hoped to build had she survived the Blockbuster competition. She also reveals who she would have targeted, shares which houseguests she believes are playing the strongest games so far, reacts to Rick Devens winning Head of Household, and explains why she'd jump at the chance to play Big Brother again—with a very different strategy next time.
Julie Chen Moonves joins The Exclusive to break down the first week of Big Brother 28, and she isn't holding back. The longtime host explains why she believes Rick Devens made his biggest mistake of the season, reveals why Dee Valladares has completely won her over, and shares which houseguests she's already rooting for. Julie also opens up about the show's biggest premiere in five years, what she thinks is fueling the ratings surge, teases what fans can expect from the milestone 1,000th episode, and reveals the classic Big Brother twists and punishments she'd love to see return.
Survivor 50 winner Aubry Bracco joins The Exclusive to recap the wild first week of Big Brother 28 and share her unique perspective on former tribemates Dee Valladares and Rick Devens. Aubry explains why she believes Dee was "made for" the Big Brother format, breaks down Devens' chaotic but loyal gameplay, and weighs in on the powerful Crossovers alliance, the Red Corner, and the emerging battle against the returning reality TV veterans. She also shares her thoughts on Angela Murray's surprising position in the game, the players who have impressed her most so far, and reveals her early winner pick for the season.
Big Brother 13 winner Rachel Reilly joins The Exclusive to reveal the story behind her surprise Big Brother 28 appearance, from secretly entering the house and forming alliances to being dramatically thrown into a volcano by a Velociraptor. Rachel shares behind-the-scenes details from filming the premiere, explains how production pulled off the twist, and reacts to Angela's surprising celebration after her exit. She also weighs in on Dee's first HOH reign, Jason's strategy of targeting the returning players, the season's first showmance, and why she's optimistic about the Big Brother 28 cast—and even teases whether she'd ever return to compete again.
With two Survivor stars officially joining the Big Brother 28 cast, Survivor 49 and 50 player Rizo Velovic joins The Exclusive to give Big Brother fans the ultimate crash course on Rick Devens and Dee Valladares. Having played alongside both of them on Survivor 50, Rizo breaks down each player's biggest strengths and weaknesses, how their Survivor games could translate to the Big Brother house, and why Dee and Rick could become two of the season's biggest threats. He also shares behind-the-scenes insight into their personalities, strategy, and relationship outside the game before making his predictions for their Big Brother 28 journeys.
Big Brother 4 winner Jun Song joins The Exclusive to break down the entire Big Brother 28 cast before the premiere. The reality TV legend shares her first impressions of every new houseguest, reveals who she thinks has the best chance to win, predicts the first boots, and explains which contestants she's already skeptical of after digging through their social media and LinkedIn profiles. Jun also weighs in on the season's returning reality TV veterans, discusses the evolution of modern Big Brother casting and reflects on why she never returned to play again.
Big Brother 28 is officially underway, and host Sharon Tharp is sharing her unfiltered first impressions of the first 14 houseguests entering the game. From superfans and recruits to potential showmances, early winner contenders, and players already giving "early boot" energy, Sharon reacts in real time to each contestant's introductory video and breaks down who stands out, who raises red flags, and who could surprise once the game begins. She also weighs in on the cast overall, the apparent lack of hardcore fans, and how the incoming mystery players could shake up the season.
Josh Martinez joins The Exclusive for his first in-depth interview following his fourth-place finish on La Casa de los Famosos. The Big Brother winner and The Challenge veteran opens up about surviving 115 days inside the house and why he says it was the hardest reality competition he's ever faced. Josh reflects on the emotional toll of the game, the racist and anti-Latino comments he says he endured, the two moments he nearly quit, and how seeing his mom during a family visit gave him the strength to keep going. He also discusses the overwhelming support he received from the Big Brother and Challenge communities, breaks down some of the biggest controversies from the season, shares where he stands with his fellow houseguests today, and reveals what's next after breaking into the Latin American reality TV market. Plus, Josh teases future projects, explains what it would take for him to return to Big Brother, and shares why The Traitors remains at the top of his wish list.
Padma Lakshmi joins host Sharon Tharp on The Exclusive to discuss creating and executive producing America's Culinary Cup, the ambitious new food competition series she designed to challenge the conventions of reality television. The Emmy-nominated host opens up about taking creative risks, eliminating many of the genre's most common tropes, and why she refused to sequester contestants during production. Lakshmi also reflects on reinventing the cooking competition format, creating a high-end environment for chefs to perform at their best, the strategic elements inspired by shows like Survivor, and the lessons she's learned from decades in television. Plus, she shares candid thoughts on leadership, imposter syndrome, and stepping into a larger creative role behind the camera.
Chef Jonathan Dearden joins The Exclusive following his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 to reflect on his journey through the competition, the ambitious pumpkin and brioche dish that ultimately sent him home, and why he believes the judges were forced to nitpick as the field narrowed. Jonathan opens up about the pressure of cooking alongside his brother Brandon, shares his unfiltered thoughts on the controversial challenges, and reveals why he was surprised to find himself on the bottom. He also discusses Sieger's heated Judges' Table confrontation, calling the moment "very uncomfortable," explains what viewers didn't see from the exchange, weighs in on Rhoda's eventual victory, and reveals whether he'd return to the Top Chef kitchen for another shot at the title.
Chef Anthony Jones joins The Exclusive following his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 to reflect on his journey, the rabbit challenge that sent him home, and the judges' critiques that he still questions. The chef opens up about why he found the "disjointed" criticism of his Michelin-inspired plating "odd," weighs in on fellow contestant Sieger's decision to push back at Judges' Table, and shares his thoughts on some of the season's most controversial challenges. Anthony also discusses the shrinking margin for error as the competition progressed, the advice he received from former Top Chef winner Tristen Epps before filming, and whether he'd return if Top Chef called him back for another shot at the title.
