America's Favorite Houseguest, previously known as America's Favorite Juror and referred to by fans as "America's Favorite Player," is an award presented to the fan favorite during the finale of each Big Brother season. The recipient of the award earns $25,000, which increased to $50,000 starting with Big Brother 23 (US). Viewers can cast their votes online for the contestant they want to win.
The America's Favorite Houseguest award was first introduced in Big Brother 7 (US). Originally, the prize was limited to jury members in Big Brother 7 (US), Big Brother 9 (US), and Big Brother 10 (US), where it was called the America's Choice Jury Prize. Since Big Brother 11 (US), all houseguests have been eligible to win the prize (except those who have been expelled or walked from the game), and the award's name was changed from "Fan Favorite Award" to America's Favorite Houseguest. It was previously believed that the season winner was ineligible to win AFHG, but this was refuted in an interview with Allison Grodner[1], and later proven false when Taylor Hale became the first person to win both the season and AFHG on Big Brother 24 (US). The only players who are ineligible to win are those who walk or are expelled from the game. Anthony Scaramucci, a "Fake Houseguest" on Celebrity Big Brother 2 (US), was also ineligible.
Due to twists such as America's Player and America's Winner, the vote was absent during Big Brother 8 (US) and Big Brother: Over the Top.
List of America's Favorite Houseguest Winners[]
Trivia[]
- If the International Big Brother format is in use instead of the American format, the fan favorite houseguests are most likely to be the winners of their respective season as the viewers have the right to vote for the winner in the international format.
- This rare instance occurred in two seasons of Big Brother (U.S.), Big Brother 1 and Big Brother: Over the Top, where the winners Eddie McGee and Morgan Willett were chosen by the viewers thus removing the "fan favorite" award in the finale.
- Jeff Schroeder is the only player to win the award twice.
- James Huling and Tyler Crispen made the top three twice but only won once.
- The award was not given in Big Brother 8 due to America's Player. It was not given in Big Brother: Over the Top due to America's Winner.
- Up until Big Brother 19, every HouseGuest that won the award has won three or more competitions between HOH's and POV's combined.
- These players have won at least one or two Head of Household and Power of Veto competitions together.
- Cody Nickson, Da'Vonne Rogers, Tiffany Mitchell, Carson Kressley and Taylor Hale are the only ones to not win 3 competitions between HoH and PoV.
- Da'Vonne is the only to not win a HOH competition (although she came second in both Week 2 and Week 5 during Big Brother 22.
- Tucker Des Lauriers is the first permanently evicted pre-juror to have received the award. He and Cody Nickson have the lowest placement for a winner, as they both finished in 11th place on their respective seasons.
- Victor Arroyo, Cody Nickson and Cameron Hardin, were all originally evicted pre-jury and then returned and made it to the jury.
- Da'Vonne Rogers has the lowest placement for a female winner, finishing 10th on Big Brother 22. Also, she was evicted pre-jury on Big Brother 17, where she placed 16th.
- Howard Overby and Jason Roy are the only permanently evicted pre-jury houseguests to be runners-up for the award.
- Between Big Brother 18 and Big Brother 20, each winner of the award has gotten into a relationship with a fellow female houseguest during or after the show: Victor Arroyo and Nicole Franzel, Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf, Tyler Crispen and Angela Rummans.
- Victor and Nicole are married and have a son together.
- Cody and Jessica are married and have three children together.
- Tyler and Angela were engaged, but later broke up.
- James Zinkand is the first LGBT winner of the award, followed by Ross Mathews and Carson.
- Jason Roy was the first LGBT runner-up, followed by Natalie Negrotti, Tommy Bracco, and Michael Bruner.
- Tom Green is the only non-LGBT celebrity to win the award.
- James Huling is the first POC winner of the award, followed by Victor Arroyo, Da'Vonne Rogers, Tiffany Mitchell and Taylor Hale.
- Coincidentally, the former three played on Big Brother 18, with James and Da'Vonne also playing on Big Brother 17.
- Howard Overby was the first POC runner-up. He was followed by Derek Xiao.
- Taylor Hale has the highest placement for an AFP winner, winning Big Brother 24 as well. She is the first person to win both the season and AFP.
- Sheila Kennedy was the first known female runner-up for this award.
- Before Taylor, Ian Terry, Jordan Lloyd, Ross Mathews and Tyler Crispen were the only finalists to also be finalists for this award.
- Nicole Franzel, who won Big Brother 18, was the runner-up of the award in her original season on Big Brother 16, but not during 18.
- Daniele Donato, who finished 2nd on Big Brother 8, was the runner-up for the award in her second season on Big Brother 13. During her original season, there was no award.
- Ironically, Ian & Jordan had won their seasons and were the runners-up for the award, while Ross and Tyler were the runners-up of their seasons but the winners of the award.
- Carson Kressley is the oldest houseguest to receive the award.
- Big Brother 19 had the most votes for America's Favorite Houseguest, with over fifteen million.
- The winner and both runners-up in Big Brother 18 were all minorities, with one of them being Asian-American (James Huling being Korean) and the other two being Hispanic-American (Victor Arroyo being Puerto Rican and Natalie Negrotti being Venezuelan).
- Coincidentally, Natalie was in a showmance with both Victor and James at two separate points, making it the first and second time that a showmance has made it into the top three together.
- Big Brother 21 was the first season with the winner and both runners-up all made into final five, completed by Nicole Anthony in 3rd place, Cliff Hogg III in 4th place, and Tommy Bracco in 5th place.
- There have been 11 male winners for the reward, and 8 female winners for the reward.
References[]
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