‘Big Brother’ Season 25 airs onWednesday, August 2, at 8 pm ET. The 16 cast members willmove in during the live 90-minute premiere, and will compete for $750,000. The group includes several artists, and notablya sikh participant named Jag Bains. Jag, fromOmak, Washington, is a truck company owner, according to the news outlet PEOPLE.
The American reality show is based on the original Dutch reality show of the same name, which was created by producer John de Mol in 1997. The name of the series is inspired by a character in George Orwell's 1949 novel ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’. The American series was launched on July 5, 2000 on CBS. Other guests in this season include the first female houseguest over 60, the first Australian houseguest and the first houseguest from Appalachia.
Who is Jag Bains?
Jag is the firstSikh houseguest of ‘Big Brother.’ While not much has been revealed about Jag, the houseguest has written in an Instagram post that he is “beyond thrilled” to embark on the journey. “Words cannot express the level of excitement I am feeling as I embark on this incredible journey in the Big Brother house this summer! From watching the show as a wide-eyed kid to now becoming a part of it, it feels like an absolute dream come true!” Jag wrote, posting a photo of himself .”
He added, “As the first-ever Sikh on the show, I feel truly honored, humbled, and blessed. I'm deeply grateful for this opportunity to represent my community and share my story with the world. And of course, I couldn't have reached this milestone without the unwavering support of my incredible family and friends. You've always believed in me, pushed me to chase my dreams, and shown me nothing but love. It wouldn’t feel right to start this journey without giving you all a massive shoutout first! And a HUGE shoutout to CBS for making this all possible and opening doors for a small town kid like me– this is the opportunity of a lifetime. THANK YOU.”
{{/usCountry}}He added, “As the first-ever Sikh on the show, I feel truly honored, humbled, and blessed. I'm deeply grateful for this opportunity to represent my community and share my story with the world. And of course, I couldn't have reached this milestone without the unwavering support of my incredible family and friends. You've always believed in me, pushed me to chase my dreams, and shown me nothing but love. It wouldn’t feel right to start this journey without giving you all a massive shoutout first! And a HUGE shoutout to CBS for making this all possible and opening doors for a small town kid like me– this is the opportunity of a lifetime. THANK YOU.”
{{/usCountry}}William Suastegui, a friend of Jag, opened up on how they “used to binge-watch Big Brother back in high school,” and would often discuss how there is a lack of Sikh players in the house. “We'd joke about them being the first ones to represent, but now, it's actually happening! Fast forward a few years, and Jag is about to create Big Brother history as the very first Sikh player in 25 seasons! I can't even express how proud and grateful I am to have him as my best friend. It's incredible to see him get the chance to showcase his true self and represent his community in front of millions!” William wrote.
“So, do me a favor and mark your calendars for the Big Brother premiere on Wednesday, August 2nd, at 8/7 Central on CBS for free – you won't want to miss it! Let's all show our love and support to Jag by tuning in and cheering him on!” he added.