When CBS announced the new cast for Big Brother’s 17th season, it looked like just another mix of men and women for the long-running reality show. However, it was later revealed that Audrey Middleton will be the first transgender houseguest in the show’s history.
Middleton, 25, was simply listed as a “digital media consultant” when the cast was announced Tuesday. However, TMZ later revealed that she was once known as Adam and she hopes to use the show like a “showcase,” similar to Caitlyn Jenner’s upcoming E! Network series.
To make it clear that this was not a publicity stunt, CBS sent a statement to Entertainment Weekly, noting that Middleton went through the same process of being cast on the show and was open about her transition during that process.
“It is customary for Big Brother Houseguests to share personal news inside the house, and Audrey plans to discuss her story with the houseguests in her own words during the premiere episode on Wednesday, June 24,” CBS said.
While Middleton will be Big Brother’s first trans woman, it’s not the first time a trans woman has appeared on an American reality show. In 2006, Alexis Arquette starred on Vh1’s The Surreal Life and Orange is the New Black’s Laverne Cox starred on I Want To Work For Diddy in 2008.
ABC Family is also working on Becoming Us and TLC’s I Am Jazz starts on July 15. Of course, there is also Jenner’s show, I Am Cait, which starts on July 26.
image of Julie Chen courtesy of Kristin Callahan/ACE/INFphoto.com