Who is Dee Valladares?

Last updated July 11, 2026

Dee Valladares, the 29-year-old Miami entrepreneur who won Survivor 45, entered Big Brother 28 as the secret 17th houseguest — then won the season's first Head of Household and made reality TV history.

Quick facts

Age: 29
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Previous shows: Survivor 45 (winner, 2023), Survivor 50 (2026), The Challenge
BB28 role: Secret 17th houseguest; first Head of Household of the season
Reality TV milestone: First person to compete on Survivor, Big Brother, and The Challenge

Why people are searching for Dee Valladares

CBS kept Valladares' casting secret until after the July 9, 2026 premiere, then unveiled her as BB28's 17th houseguest on Big Brother: Unlocked — and she promptly won the season's first Head of Household.

About Dee Valladares

Dee Valladares made history just by walking through the Big Brother 28 door. The Miami entrepreneur, who won Survivor 45 in 2023, was revealed as the season's secret seventeenth houseguest during the debut of companion show Big Brother: Unlocked — becoming the first person ever to compete on Survivor, Big Brother, and The Challenge.

Her Survivor 45 win was among the most dominant in recent memory. At 26, she operated inside a tight four-person alliance that controlled the season, deftly balancing two separate number-one allies, and took the $1 million prize on a 5-3 jury vote. She later returned for Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, the fan-driven milestone season that aired in 2026, and has also competed on The Challenge.

She's just the third Survivor player to enter the Big Brother house, after Cirie Fields (BB25) and fellow BB28 surprise addition Rick Devens.

And she wasted no time. In a twist during the 'Time Trip'-themed season's July 9, 2026 premiere, the 14 new houseguests were told none of them could win the first Head of Household; the three incoming reality icons — Valladares, Devens, and Big Brother 26's Angela Murray — competed for it instead, and Valladares won. Early live-feed spoilers reported by Parade, Goldderby, and Big Brother Network say she used the HOH to put Mallory, Taylor, and Yash on the block. She's already positioned as BB28's early front-runner.

Frequently asked questions

Did Dee Valladares win Survivor?

She did — Survivor 45 in 2023, taking the $1 million prize by a 5-3 jury vote after a famously dominant game by recent-season standards. She returned for Survivor 50 in 2026.

How did Dee Valladares get on Big Brother 28?

CBS unveiled her as the season's secret 17th houseguest during the first episode of Big Brother: Unlocked, after the July 9, 2026 premiere had introduced fellow icons Rick Devens and Angela Murray.

Is Dee Valladares the first Big Brother 28 Head of Household?

Yes. A premiere twist limited the first HOH competition to the three returning reality icons, and Valladares won it.

What is Dee Valladares' reality TV 'trifecta'?

Joining Big Brother 28 made her the first person ever to compete on Survivor, Big Brother, and The Challenge.