Chelsie Baham was crowned the winner of “Big Brother” season 26 on Sunday after receiving all seven jury votes. The finale concluded a thrilling season filled with competitive challenges and unpredictable alliance shifts among the 16 houseguests.
The three remaining contestants – Chelsie Baham, Makensy Manbeck, and Cam Sullivan-Brown – battled it out in a three-part Head of Household competition. In the first endurance challenge, Chelsie outlasted her competitors by hanging on for 37 minutes. Makensy then edged out Cam in the puzzle round, setting up a showdown between the two women.
The final Head of Household competition tested knowledge of fellow houseguests. After five tight rounds, Makensy clinched the win in round six. She faced a major decision – choose Chelsie or evict Cam. Opting to take Chelsie to the finals surprised viewers given her active gameplay.
Former winner Taylor Hale moderated the jury roundtable. Opinions on the finalists varied, with some praising Makensy’s competition skills and others highlighting Chelsie’s social bonds and strategic moves. One juror, Angela, seemed resentful toward Chelsie.
Chelsie delivered what observers called a standout final questioning. She underscored key moves like persuading Makensy to use the veto on Angela. Makensy asserted her independence but was uncertain proving she evicted Leah alone.
With the unanimous jury vote, Chelsie secured the $750,000 grand prize. As the second Black woman regular season victor, her win made history. Tucker won $50,000 as fan favorite, while Makensy took home $75,000 as runner-up.
In a surprise, host Julie Chen Moonves informed the previously isolated houseguests that Kamala Harris replaced Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate. The season ended on a personal note as evicted players reunited and some showmances and relationships progressed. Fans now await the intriguing twists of the next installment.
