Look, we love Big Brother as much as the next superfan, but let’s be real, some houseguests have crossed lines that go way beyond strategic backstabbing. For over two decades, CBS’s summer staple has given us an unfiltered look at human behavior under pressure, and sometimes what we’ve seen is genuinely shocking.
While most Big Brother contestants bring drama through gameplay and alliances, others have sparked legitimate scandals involving racism, violence, and behavior that got them kicked out of the house entirely.
From expelled players who threatened violence to controversial winners who faced serious accusations, we’re ranking Big Brother‘s most scandalous contestants from absolute worst to those who at least owned their problematic behavior. Buckle up, this gets uncomfortable.
15. Justin Sebik (Season 2)
The Scandal: First-ever expelled houseguest who held a knife to a fellow contestant’s throat
Justin Sebik literally set the standard for “how to get expelled from Big Brother” back in Season 2. This New Jersey bartender was a walking red flag from day one, threatening to punch people, peeing on windows, and smashing chess sets like he was auditioning for a different kind of reality show. But the incident that got him removed? He held a knife to Krista Stegall’s throat and casually asked (via Variety),
Would you get mad if I killed you?
Producer Arnold Shapiro told The New York Times that the incident only lasted a second, but Sebik had already been warned twice about his behavior. Justin later claimed he was “joking,” but production wasn’t laughing.
They removed him from the house in the middle of the night, establishing that physical threats would result in immediate expulsion. Thanks to Sebik, Big Brother learned early that some behavior simply can’t be tolerated, even for ratings.
14. Luke Valentine (Season 25)
The Scandal: Used a racial slur on live feeds, becoming the first contestant removed for racist language
Luke Valentine’s Big Brother career lasted exactly eight days, which might be a record for fastest self-destruction. The Florida native was having a casual conversation with houseguests Jared, Corey, and Hisam when he dropped the N-word like it was no big deal. The live feeds caught everything, and fans immediately demanded his removal.
Valentine tried the classic “slip of the tongue” excuse with Jared, but CBS wasn’t having it. They swiftly ejected him from the game, making him the fifth person ever expelled and the first specifically removed for using a racial slur. In their statement, CBS made it crystal clear:
Zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur.
But here’s the kicker: Valentine’s post-eviction Instagram statement was bizarre and showed zero remorse, just some weird rambling about keeping
The flames of love
burning (via Business Insider). Big Brother 15 winner Andy Herren was among those who publicly supported the expulsion, showing how seriously the community took this incident.
13. Willie Hantz (Season 14)
The Scandal: Expelled for physical violence after head-butting a houseguest
The Hantz family and reality TV just don’t mix well, do they? After his brother Brandon’s explosive Survivor moments, Willie brought that same volatile energy to Big Brother Season 14. And honestly? It went exactly how you’d expect. Willie was removed from the game after repeatedly head-butting fellow houseguest Joe Arvin, like, multiple times.
He also verbally destroyed fan-favorite Janelle Pierzina for the crime of making him a Have-Not. Production had seen enough and ejected him from the house, making him one of the few contestants removed specifically for physical violence.
After his Big Brother implosion, Willie had some legal troubles and got into social media feuds with other BB alums before essentially vanishing from the reality TV landscape. We tried finding an active online presence for Willie during research, and there’s basically nothing. Sometimes controversial houseguests fade into obscurity, and Willie’s one of them.
12. Scott Weintraub (Season 4)
The Scandal: Ejected for violent behavior related to his ex-fiancée’s nomination
Season 4’s “X-Factor” twist brought ex-couples into the house together, which sounds like a therapy session waiting to explode. For Scott Weintraub, that explosion happened almost immediately. When his ex-fiancée, Amanda Craig, got nominated for eviction during the very first week, Scott completely lost it.
His violent reaction was severe enough that production removed him from the game on the spot. This incident basically proved that the X-Factor twist was a terrible idea. Putting exes in a pressure cooker environment with half a million dollars at stake is asking for trouble.
Weintraub’s ejection demonstrated that Big Brother wouldn’t tolerate physical aggression regardless of the emotional circumstances or how dramatic it made for television. The X-Factor twist was essentially retired after this season, and for good reason.
11. Adam Jasinski (Season 9)
The Scandal: Used the R-word, fired from his job, then arrested for drug trafficking using his prize money
Oh, Adam Jasinski. Where do we even start? The Big Brother 9 winner managed to create scandals both inside and outside the house, making him arguably the most criminally problematic winner in the show’s history. During his season, Jasinski used a derogatory slur about people with intellectual disabilities while discussing starting a hair salon.
He was fired from his job because of those comments. But wait, it gets worse. After winning the $500,000 grand prize and promising to donate $100,000 to Autism United, Jasinski’s life went completely off the rails. The year after his win, he was arrested for possession of oxycodone pills with intent to distribute and tax evasion.
Reports suggested he used his Big Brother winnings to help kickstart a drug operation. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison. So yeah, Jasinski went from reality TV winner to convicted felon, which is quite the character arc nobody wanted to see.
10. George Gilbert (Big Brother UK 2025)
The Scandal: Removed for repeated homophobic behavior, mocking LGBTQ+ housemate, and allegedly anti-Semitic conspiracy theories
George Gilbert’s time in the Big Brother UK house in 2025 was controversial from the start, and it only got worse. The 23-year-old parish councilor and actor was removed after repeated instances of what ITV called (via Cosmopolitan)
Unacceptable language and behaviour.
During a game of Truth or Dare, Gilbert mocked fellow housemate Sam Ashby, an LGBTQ+ rights activist, by imitating his voice and using limp wrist gestures: behavior Ashby described as reminiscent of the homophobic abuse he endured in school. Gilbert was called to the Diary Room and given a formal warning, claiming he’d apologized and would be “walking on eggshells” around Ashby. But that wasn’t the end of it.
According to reports, Gilbert also made comments during a discussion about conspiracy theories that producers deemed offensive, including allegedly suggesting Israel was behind Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. He also reportedly stated he felt “obligated” to have children with someone who looked like him to preserve his ancestry, and joked that having a baby with a Black woman would make him feel like he was “betraying his kind.”
After multiple warnings, ITV removed him with immediate effect. In his statement, Gilbert positioned himself as a
flag-bearer of freedom of speech,
claiming boundaries of offense are “subjective” and he’d crossed
their line one too many times.
9. GinaMarie Zimmerman (Season 15)
The Scandal: Made racist remarks and bullied contestants of color
Season 15 was problematic from start to finish, and GinaMarie Zimmerman was right there alongside Aaryn Gries, causing chaos. GinaMarie repeatedly made racist comments, including asking biracial contestant Candice Stewart when her “Black” was going to come out. She also called Stewart “Aunt Jemima” and engaged in aggressive confrontations that crossed every line imaginable.
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The comments were so severe that host Julie Chen Moonves addressed them on The Talk, and CBS had to release statements about the contestant’s behavior. GinaMarie’s employer, East Coast USA Pageant, fired her because of what aired on the show. Like other Season 15 contestants, she eventually apologized after the season ended, but by then the damage was done.
Season 15 remains the most controversial season in Big Brother history, and GinaMarie’s behavior is a huge reason why. The season sparked serious conversations about racism in reality TV and led to changes in how CBS approached casting and contestant behavior.
8. Jack Matthews (Season 21)
The Scandal: Made racist comments about Black and Asian houseguests
Season 21 gave us multiple problematic contestants, but Jack Matthews was definitely leading the charge. This dude said he wanted to
Stomp a mud hole through
the chest of Black contestant Kemi Fakunle, then later called her “dog s**t.” He also made a comment about Asian houseguest Isabella Wang involving “rice pudding,” which viewers and fellow houseguests interpreted as racially insensitive.
Despite the severity of these comments, Matthews wasn’t expelled from the show, which frustrated a lot of fans. When Julie Chen Moonves confronted him during his exit interview, Matthews apologized but claimed the rice pudding comment had nothing to do with Isabella’s ethnicity.
CBS and Big Brother producers released a statement saying
‘Big Brother’ is a multi-platform reality competition show about a group of people who live in a house for several months with no contact from the outside world. The audience is able to view the show during the multiple weekly broadcasts as well as on the 24/7 live, online stream, which captures unedited content of the contestants’ unfiltered moments in the House. At times, the Houseguests say things that we do not condone.
We share some of the viewers’ concerns about inappropriate behavior and offensive comments, and producers have addressed specific incidents with the Houseguests involved. However, there is absolutely no truth that the casting of the show is racially motivated, that the Houseguests’ behavior is predetermined or that the outcome is controlled in any way.
However, Season 21’s reputation was already destroyed. The season is largely remembered as one of the most problematic in the show’s history, and Matthews’s behavior is a major reason why fans still talk about it negatively years later.
7. JC Mounduix (Season 20)
The Scandal: Multiple instances of sexual harassment and use of racial slurs
JC Mounduix’s Season 20 behavior was deeply problematic on multiple fronts. Live feed viewers grew increasingly uncomfortable watching him cross physical boundaries with houseguests. He used an ice cream scooper on the genitals of fellow houseguests, including Kaitlyn Herman, and told Kaycee Clark to “open up” her vagina.
He also kissed Tyler Crispen’s armpit while Tyler was sleeping: a clear consent violation. Beyond the sexual harassment allegations, Mounduix used the N-word during a conversation with Bayleigh Dayton and asked Rachel Swindler if she was transgender in an inappropriate context. CBS warned Mounduix about his behavior, issuing statements that
Those involved have been warned about their inappropriate behavior and offensive comments, as well as future consequences.
But many critics argued he should have been expelled entirely for his pattern of boundary violations and harassment. The fact that he remained in the game frustrated viewers who felt Big Brother wasn’t taking these incidents seriously enough.
6. Jackson Michie (Season 21)
The Scandal: Targeted minorities for eviction, accused of racism and misogyny throughout the season
Jackson Michie’s Season 21 win is hands down one of the most controversial victories in Big Brother history. On premiere night, Michie nominated three of the five contestants of color for eviction, immediately sparking accusations of racial bias.
Throughout the summer, he and his allies were caught on live feeds making racist comments and engaging in microaggressions against houseguests of color, particularly Kemi Fakunle. When Michie won the $500,000 with a 6-3 jury vote, he walked out to confetti, looking absolutely defeated. One reporter described him as looking,
Like a dog who knew full well what he’d done to the carpet.
Julie Chen Moonves confronted him about the allegations during the finale, and cameras caught Michie vehemently telling his parents he wasn’t racist. He later posted an Instagram apology video in June 2020, admitting he made “a lot of mistakes” and acknowledging he’d
Never understand what it’s like to be African American
(via PEOPLE). His season sparked major changes at CBS, which pledged to increase diversity in reality programming. Michie hasn’t been invited back and was notably absent from later promotional materials.
5. Amber Siyavus (Season 8)
The Scandal: Made anti-Semitic comments and stereotypes
Season 8’s Amber Siyavus created serious controversy when she made offensive anti-Semitic comments during her time in the house. She stated that Jewish people were “bad” and made negative comments about their physical appearances, engaging in harmful stereotyping.
Her remarks were called out by viewers and fellow houseguests who were shocked by the blatant prejudice. While Siyavus’s comments didn’t result in her expulsion from the game, they did significant damage to her reputation and public image.
CBS didn’t invite her back for any returnee or all-star seasons, effectively blacklisting her from future Big Brother opportunities. The incident was one of several controversial moments during Season 8, though it often gets overshadowed by Evil Dick’s more theatrical villainy.
Siyavus’s comments represented a different kind of problematic behavior: quiet prejudice that revealed deeply held biases. It’s a reminder that controversy in the Big Brother house doesn’t always come from loud confrontations; sometimes it’s the casual bigotry that’s most disturbing.
4. Braden Bacha (Season 11)
The Scandal: Used racist language during a screaming match
Today is BB11 Houseguest Braden Bacha’s 45th birthday. #BB11 #BB27 pic.twitter.com/nq77ut3un6
Season 11’s Braden Bacha became controversial early in the game after his explosive confrontation with fellow houseguests Kevin Campbell and Lydia Tavera. During the screaming match, Bacha allegedly used a racist slur that live feed viewers caught, though CBS edited the offensive language out of the televised episode.
The incident followed a pattern of Big Brother contestants making racially insensitive comments that the broadcast episodes tried to sanitize, while live feed subscribers saw the unfiltered truth. Bacha was eliminated during the first live eviction of Season 11, becoming one of the earliest exits in Big Brother history.
Whether his early eviction was directly related to the controversy or just bad gameplay is debatable, but he certainly didn’t do himself any favors. His brief time in the house serves as another example of how Big Brother‘s 24/7 live feeds capture everything, even the moments production would rather not air. It’s impossible to hide your true character when cameras are rolling constantly.
3. Paul Abrahamian (Season 19)
The Scandal: Planned to wear blackface, accused of orchestrating bullying campaigns
Paul Abrahamian, who now uses they/them pronouns, played two back-to-back Big Brother seasons and caused massive controversy during their Season 19 run. The biggest scandal involved Abrahamian allegedly applying black facial cosmetics while targeting Black housemate Dominique Cooper for eviction, then calling the makeup look “blackface.”
The plan didn’t go through, but the intent alone was deeply problematic. Beyond that, Abrahamian was accused of orchestrating systematic bullying campaigns against houseguests Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf, creating such a hostile environment that fans actively rooted against Abrahamian despite their strong strategic gameplay.
After the season, Abrahamian addressed the controversies in an Instagram post, denying they tried to
mock a houseguest with racism
and apologizing to anyone offended. Many fans felt the apology was insufficient and performative. What makes Abrahamian’s situation complex is that they were genuinely talented at Big Brother strategy, but their methods involved psychological manipulation that crossed into cruel territory. They’ve since distanced themselves from Big Brother and haven’t been invited back.
2. Jeff Schroeder (Season 13)
The Scandal: Made homophobic remarks about Harry Potter‘s Dumbledore
Jeff Schroeder’s controversy might seem less severe compared to others on this list, but his homophobic comments during Season 13 revealed some seriously problematic views. When fellow houseguests discussed J.K. Rowling’s revelation that Albus Dumbledore was gay, Schroeder went on a rant, saying:
I don’t think it’s the right thing to have a little kids’ book and have the headmaster that you’re locked away with in a magical land be gay.
He also accused Kalia Booker of being “politically correct” for the cameras when she pushed back against his comments. Schroeder’s remarks perpetuated harmful stereotypes about LGBTQ+ individuals being inappropriate around children: a dangerous and false narrative that’s been used to discriminate against the queer community for decades.
What’s particularly frustrating is that Schroeder had previously competed on Season 11 and was invited back, suggesting CBS saw him as a fan-favorite. His homophobic comments didn’t prevent him from continuing to appear in Big Brother-related content for years, which many fans found disappointing given the severity of his statements.
1. Dick Donato (Season 8)
The Scandal: Systematically harassed and antagonized houseguests, but owned his villain role
Dick Donato (nicknamed “Evil Dick” for obvious reasons) tops our list as the “best” of these scandalous contestants, though that’s an incredibly low bar. The Season 8 winner didn’t accidentally stumble into controversy; he strategically weaponized harassment as gameplay.
Donato mocked houseguests’ religious beliefs, made cruel comments about their appearances, and dedicated himself to making everyone miserable. He was particularly nasty to Jen Johnson, even putting out a lit cigarette on her arm (Johnson later said he should’ve been expelled for that). He constantly used profanity and verbal abuse, so much so that CBS had to censor large portions of his dialogue.
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Why does he rank as the “best” of the worst? Simple: Donato fully owned his villain persona. He never blamed his upbringing, claimed his actions were misunderstood, or offered half-hearted apologies. His strategy was transparently theatrical cruelty rather than behavior rooted in racism, homophobia, or sexual harassment.
Fans and producers knew exactly what they were getting with Evil Dick. That said, his treatment of houseguests was still unacceptable, and many fans believe he should’ve faced consequences.
These scandals have fundamentally changed how Big Brother operates. After Season 15’s racism-filled summer and Season 21’s similarly problematic behavior, CBS implemented diversity initiatives, improved contestant vetting processes, and became more willing to remove houseguests who crossed serious lines. The show introduced mandatory diversity requirements for casting and brought in consultants to help identify and address bias.
Season 25’s swift removal of Luke Valentine for using a racial slur showed that Big Brother had learned from past mistakes. The network’s “zero tolerance” policy represents a significant shift from earlier seasons when problematic behavior was sometimes allowed to continue for the sake of drama.
Julie Chen Moonves has also become more willing to confront controversial houseguests during exit interviews, holding them accountable in real-time rather than letting their behavior slide.
While controversy will likely always be part of Big Brother‘s DNA (it is fundamentally a social experiment designed to create conflict), the hope is that future drama comes from strategic gameplay rather than racism, homophobia, or harassment. The show’s evolution reflects broader conversations about accountability in reality TV and society at large.
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For fans looking back at these scandalous moments, they serve as uncomfortable reminders that reality TV can expose the absolute worst of human behavior. When people think they’re not being watched (or forget that 24/7 live feeds capture everything), their true character emerges.
Big Brother has given us incredible strategic gameplay and memorable moments over 27 seasons, but these controversies represent the show’s darkest chapters. The question now is whether Big Brother can maintain its dramatic appeal while ensuring future seasons don’t repeat these mistakes. Only time will tell if the lessons learned from these scandals create lasting change.
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