All Eyes Are On Julie Chen As She Returns To CBS For Live ‘Big Brother’ Double Eviction Episode

Julie Chen is set to make her return to CBS after four days away from her daytime chatfest, The Talk. The longtime CBS host told fans she will take the stage for the live episode of Big Brother on Thursday night in the aftermath of her husband’s sex scandal. Les Moonves was forced into resignation from his longtime post as president of the network as a result of the damning allegations of sexual misconduct.

“I am taking a few days off from The Talk to be with my family,” Chen announced earlier this week, per Variety. “I will be back soon and will see you Thursday night on Big Brother.”

The jam-packed Big Brother episode, which will feature a double eviction, is Chen’s first TV appearance since her husband’s career-ending scandal. Fans should expect the unexpected on this show — now more than ever.

Chen is reportedly committed to returning to Big Brother. Twitter account REALvegas4sure — famous for leaking spoilers — has confirmed that Chen is still set to appear on Big Brother on Thursday, where, incidentally, the cast members she will be directly dealing with have no idea what is going on in her personal life. The site also noted that Big Brother producers respect Chen as ” a pro and a staple” of the CBS reality show, which she has been hosting since its debut in 2000, and “will honor any decision she makes” regarding her future on the show.

The REALvegas4sure source added that Big Brother producers are hoping that Chen will finish her season 20 contract in full, but that “a few names are being circled as backups” due to the live nature of the Thursday night shows and the finale episode, which is slated for later this month.

Rumors have been rampant about Julie Chen’s future at CBS in the aftermath of Mooves’ departure from the network. The longtime TV news journalist and host previously vowed to stand by her man when initial allegations about Moonves came out in July. Now, with more serious allegations against the fallen CBS exec making headlines, Chen has not issued a statement on her current stance.

Julie Chen’s return to Big Brother is one thing — she hosts the show alone and only interacts with sequestered house guests who have no idea what is going on outside of the Big Brother bubble — but returning to The Talk, the daytime show she has moderated since 2010, could prove to be more challenging.

The co-hosts on the CBS daytime talk show, which include Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, and Eve, regularly talk about their personal lives. And all week, in Chen’s absence, they have awkwardly been talking about her husband. On Tuesday, The Talk co-hosts sounded off over the news that CBS may remain silent on its investigation into Moonves — and the culture at the network — before the recent shakeup. Some fans of the show think it could feel odd to have Chen at the table for future discussions about the #MeToo movement as it pertains to CBS.

Big Brother airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on CBS.