In the past few seasons of The Amazing Race, teams who previously competed on Big Brother have found success in the race around the world. Both reality competition shows air on CBS, making them a perfect fit for certain contestants to swap between the two. Certain popular Big Brother houseguests like Rachel Reilly, Janelle Pierzina, Cody Nickson, and Jessica Graf have competed on The Amazing Race. Likewise, contestants from The Amazing Race, like Jeff Schroeder and Jackie Ibarra, later became houseguests on Big Brother. Currently, on The Amazing Race season 34, fans are rooting for Claire Rehfuss and Derek Xiao from Big Brother season 23.
Typically, teams comprised of at least one former Big Brother contestant are extremely successful on The Amazing Race due to their experience and social strategy. The best examples of this are Cody and Jessica, who met inside the Big Brother house and went on to win The Amazing Race season 30. Cody and Jessica welcomed their third child together in July, a potential sign that their success on The Amazing Race season 30 was indicative of the strength of their relationship. Another successful houseguest turned racer is Rachel, who placed third overall on two separate seasons with her husband, Brendan Villegas. Though the outcome of The Amazing Race season 34 is not yet known, Derek and Claire have excelled thus far and landed themselves in the final 4.
Big Brother Alumni Have Practice With Several Types Of Challenges
One main reason Big Brother alums succeed on The Amazing Race is their experience with completing a diverse variety of challenges. Each week on Big Brother, houseguests compete in the Head of Household competition, as well as a chance at competing in Veto competitions, plus any additional comps that accompany certain twists like Battle of the Block or the High Roller's Room. Notoriously known for holding the record for most Veto wins in a single season until being dethroned by Michael Bruner in Big Brother 24, Janelle proved herself to be a respectable athlete through BB comps. Those skills transfer onto The Amazing Race, where racers who already have experience with enduring physical challenges or solving puzzles are more likely to quickly move through Roadblocks and Detours.
To make it far on Big Brother, contestants must have a strong social game and strategize to determine who can be trusted. The same can be said for The Amazing Race, where teams can work together and exchange favors to make it further in the race. Derek made it far inside the Big Brother house with a stellar social game that established him as a friendly, trustworthy ally. He is continuing to utilize the same strategy on The Amazing Race, helping other teams in exchange for returned favors later on in the race. Big Brother 24 winner Taylor Hale expressed interest in racing with Michael, likely choosing him as a potential partner because they both executed masterful social games within the house.
While both shows are distinct in certain ways, there is a lot of crossover between Big Brother and The Amazing Race in terms of the skills necessary to succeed. Challenges can make or break a contestant's success on both shows, so having prior experience can lead to a stronger performance. Experience with navigating the social aspect of each game is also an important factor that has led to many BB alums finding success within the race. Moving forward, those who succeed on Big Brother should apply for The Amazing Race, as they have a good shot at going far.