Why Julie Chen Is Missing Big Brother's Live Eviction Show for First Time in 24 Years

Julie Chen is doing something she's never done before.

The Big Brother host will be missing the CBS reality competition series' Sept. 12 live eviction episode for the first time in 24 years.

"Friday morning I woke up with a sore throat and went to see my good friend who is an ENT," the 54-year-old shared with fans in a Sept. 12 Instagram post. "That night he called to say I have COVID. Thankfully this is only the second time for me and it's been very mild! No fever and just a sore throat."

Chen noted that "despite feeling good strong and my cough being gone," she's still testing positive for coronavirus, adding, "I must sit tonight's Big Brother Live eviction show out."

However, the former The Talk cohost found a perfect replacement: Current The Talk cohost Jerry O'Connell, who she tanked for temporarily filling her shoes.

"I hope Jerry fits into my dress," she joked, "has a ball and tells the houseguests I miss them but will be watching from home."

The media personality concluded her announcement, "See? Chenbot is human after all! Love one another and enjoy tonight's show."

Chen even called into the Sept. 12 broadcast of The Talk to tell O'Connell what to expect when sending Big Brother's first season 26 contestant home.

"It's gonna be so exciting because tonight's evictee is member No. 1 of the jury," she teased. "So they immediately go into jury house isolation."

As for Chen's top piece of advice for filling her shoes?

"I gotta give you a very important tip for tonight," she added. "When you go into my dressing room, go into the bathroom. In the second drawer to the left, there is a corset. I'm telling you Jerry, there is no way you're gonna fit into my dress tonight without the corset. Here's the key: It's a two-person job."

See O'Connell make his Big Brother debut tonight, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. Big Brother airs Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays on CBS.

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