12-time Olympic medalist in swimming Ryan Lochte will join the cast of Celebrity Big Brother Season 2 beginning on January 21st, 2019 on CBS. He will join a cast of 12 celebrities living in the Big Brother house under constant surveillance with no contact to the outside world.
A spin-off of the regular Big Brother series, the first season of Celebrity Big Brother aired in 2018, ironically as counterprogramming to the Winter Olympic Games. A house is filled with 94 high-definition cameras and 113 microphones to monitor and record the contestants.
The celebrity version of the show does not run as long as the regular Big Brother seasons – running just 2 weeks instead of 3 months, and unlike a regular season, contestants are allowed to return to the real world after being eliminated, rather than sequestered to maintain the surprise of the show. In reality-show-meets-social-experiment style, the 12 competitors are one-by-one ‘evicted’ from the house and placed on a jury, which then decides the final winner of the show. In season 1, contestants were vying for a $250,000 prize, though the prize for season 2 has not yet been announced.
Lochte isn’t the only Olympian on the show: Lolo Jones, who has represented the United States at both the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics, and is a former World Champion both in the 60 meter hurdles and in the mixed bobsled team event, will also be a HouseGuest.
Lochte, at 34-years old, is the second-youngest contestant on the show. He’s no stranger to reality television – in 2013, he had his own reality television show on E!, which was not renewed for a 2nd season.
Since the 2016 Olympic Games, Lochte’s swimming career has come to a screeching halt. After the infamous Rio gas station incident resulted in a 10-month suspension, Lochte returned to competition in 2018 only to be suspended again, this time for 14 months for violating anti-doping rules by receiving an IV vitamin drip.
Lochte and his wife, Kayla Reid, welcomed their first child in June of 2017, and are currently expecting a second child.
12 Contestants on Celebrity Big Brother, Season 2:
- Anthony Scaramucci, 55 – former White House Communications Director
- Dina Lohan, 56 – Mother/manager of actress Lindsay Lohan
- Joey Lawrence, 42 – actor & television producer of Melissa & Joey, Blossom, and Brotherly Love fame
- Jonathan Bennett, 37 – actor and television host of Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and Mean Girls fame, which won him 2 Teen Choice Award nominations
- Kandi Burruss, 42 – Grammy-winning songwriter and cast-member of The Real Housewives of Atlanta
- Kato Kaelin, 59 – Actor
- Lolo Jones, 36 – United States Summer (track & field) and winter (bobsled) Olympian
- Natalie Eva Marie, 34 – Former WWE Diva (professional wrestling) and actress
- Ricky Williams, 41 – Former NFL running-back, former NCAA Division 1-A career rushing leader. Miami Dolphins Record holder for most rushing yards (1,853) and rushing touchdowns (16) in a season
- Ryan Lochte, 34 – 4-time U.S. Olympian (swimming), 6-time Olympic gold medalist, 12-time Olympic medalist, 39-time World Champion, one of the most-decorated swimmers in history
- Tamar Braxton, 41 – 4-time Grammy Award-nominated singer and songwriter, 3-time Soul Train Music Award winner, 1-time BET Award winner, reality television personality (Braxton Family Values)
- Tom Green, 47 – Comedian and actor who hit his peak popularity around the year 2000.
What was the deal turning on your Olympic Buddy Lola? Just like in the “Fire Service” and the military; you belong to a new and big family. You should have defended her and not take things to the point you did wanting to put her up for a misunderstanding. You both should have talked it out and apologise anyway.
Will there be any ads hanging on the bathroom walls, will Lochte have a $50 hold put on his credit card and will he dye his hair green?
A lot of judging going on of a NCAA, Olympic champion and millionaire from a bunch of people who I figure won’t have nearly the success in anything they do in their life that Lochte has. I’m sure he’ll take all your advice to heart when he’s retired 40 years before the rest of us living in his mansion with his beautiful family. He look back at all of these Swimswam experts and realize what a failure he is and how awful his life is compared to all of you. I just hope he turns his life around and adopts the Internet troll lifestyle most of you have embraced.
I mean, it’s not news that he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed… but in all honesty, he’s had monumentally bad luck that he was born this close in age to Michael Phelps. He could have been an absolute superstar if it hadn’t been for Phelps. As it stands, he’s always been in Phelps’ shadow – both as an athlete and as a person of public interest. He’s getting on there in years, maybe he won’t even make it to Tokyo (which would be understandable, the youngsters are really pushing and he’s super old considering the races he usually competes in) so he’s making the best of the offers he gets. He’s probably hoping that this will get him… Read more »
Michael Phelps has nothing to do with Lochte’s issues.
In a perfect world, Lochte will bring the ridiculous entertainment that he’s been portrayed for doing and be the obnoxious frat guy of the cast. I think that will be the best way to get entertainment value out of him.
The problem I see occurring is he never seems to be that entertaining in the press itself. He does ridiculous things behind closed doors when the media isn’t around, but when the media is around, like with his reality show, he’s a bore.
It’s highly, highly unlikely he wins the show, too, with people like Tom Green and Jonathan Bennett who know a good bit about the show and will probably be the better players. Ideally he brings some spice… Read more »
Yeah he is married. He can’t have a showmance so what is he going to do to entertain us? A bunch of stupid frat boy shenanigans? After Rio I don’t think that will play to well nor would annoying the crap out of everyone. I don’t see what his play will be here except try to act really stupid and allow everyone to manipulate him
When he finally says “I M evicted”, Lochte will fly back for free.
(Afraid this joke will be DQ’ed if I make it a full medley of puns).
Ahhhh hahahahaha.
Knowing Big Brother there will be many breast references as well…to squeeze into your pun!
I didn’t know that that thing Big Brother still existed in 2019.
Pathetic from Lochte.
Not going to watch this or follow it in any way, but I would be waaay more excited about Scaramucci. Lochte won’t add too much to the entertainment, I feel, but the Mooch will almost surely have something ridiculous to say .