Big Brother 28 Week 1 Recap: Dee Valladares Takes Control as the First Eviction Looms
Last updated: July 16, 2026 (before the Week 1 live eviction)
Big Brother 28 has wasted no time delivering strategic gameplay, surprise twists, and shifting alliances. The season’s “Time Trip” theme has already introduced returning reality TV veterans, new game mechanics, and an unpredictable opening week that has kept both casual viewers and live-feed fans talking.
Former Survivor winner Dee Valladares entered the house as the final mystery houseguest and immediately established herself as the season’s first Head of Household. Her decisions have shaped the opening week and set the stage for what could become an early battle between returning players and newcomers.
BB28 Week 1 at a Glance
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| Head of Household | Dee Valladares |
| Initial nominees | Mallory Aurichio, Taylor Brown, Yash Patel |
| Power of Veto winner | Mallory Aurichio |
| Veto used? | Yes, on herself |
| Replacement nominee | Ashley Trail |
| Current eviction nominees | Ashley Trail, Taylor Brown, Yash Patel |
| Live eviction | Scheduled for Thursday’s live episode |
Status reflects confirmed information available before the first live eviction.
Dee Valladares Wins the First HOH
The biggest surprise of premiere week came when Survivor 45 champion Dee Valladares entered as the final mystery houseguest and immediately won the first Head of Household competition.
Rather than making an aggressive move against another returning player, Dee spread her nominations across multiple houseguests by placing Mallory Aurichio, Taylor Brown, and Yash Patel on the block. The strategy allowed her to avoid targeting a single alliance while gathering information about where the house stood socially.
Mallory Changes the Week by Winning the Power of Veto
Week 1 shifted dramatically when Mallory Aurichio won the first Power of Veto competition.
As expected, she removed herself from the nomination block, forcing Dee to reveal another layer of her strategy by naming Ashley Trail as the replacement nominee.
That left Ashley Trail, Taylor Brown, and Yash Patel as the final nominees heading into the live eviction.
The House Begins to Split
Although Week 1 has not produced fully locked alliances yet, several voting groups have begun to take shape.
CBS episodes and live-feed discussions suggest that returning players Rick Devens, Dee Valladares, and Angela Murray have established strong working relationships while also developing connections with several newcomers. Meanwhile, other first-time houseguests have discussed the importance of preventing the veterans from controlling the game long-term.
As is typical during opening week, many of these alliances remain fluid and could change after the first eviction.
Live Feeds Reveal Growing Tension
While the televised episodes have focused mainly on competitions, live-feed conversations have shown growing paranoia inside the house.
According to live-feed updates, strategy discussions intensified after the veto ceremony, with several players questioning where loyalties truly lie. Information shared among houseguests has already begun creating trust issues, particularly surrounding conversations involving returning players and newer competitors.
As always, live-feed dynamics can shift rapidly before the next televised episode.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Heading into eviction night, Ashley Trail, Taylor Brown, and Yash Patel remain on the block. While house conversations have continued throughout the week, no official vote count exists before the live show. Entertainment coverage has generally indicated that the target has remained fluid, making the first eviction far less predictable than many opening weeks.
Biggest Winners of Week 1
Dee Valladares
Winning the first HOH immediately gave Dee control of the game’s opening week and allowed her to build relationships from a position of power.
Mallory Aurichio
After becoming an early target, Mallory completely changed her position by winning the Power of Veto and guaranteeing her safety.
Rick Devens
Although he never held formal power, the Survivor legend has remained socially active while avoiding becoming the primary target during the first week.
Biggest Questions Going Into Week 2
Several storylines could reshape the game after the first eviction.
- Will the returning reality TV veterans continue working together?
- Can the newcomers organize a counter-alliance?
- Will Dee’s successful HOH make her a target next week?
- Which nominee will survive the first live eviction?
Final Thoughts
Week 1 has accomplished exactly what Big Brother fans hope for in a season premiere: strong personalities, strategic uncertainty, and enough shifting alliances to make the game difficult to predict.
With Dee Valladares successfully navigating her first HOH reign and Mallory Aurichio saving herself through the Power of Veto, the house now waits for its first live eviction. Once the first player leaves, the real long-term alliances of Big Brother 28 should begin to emerge.