‘Big Brother’ Fans Celebrate As Nearly 14-Hour-Long Pressure Cooker Challenge Finally Returns After 19 Seasons: “The Greatest Competition Of All Time”

Big Brother fans are rejoicing over the return of an iconic endurance challenge.

Ominously called the Pressure Cooker, the iconic challenge was first introduced in Big Brother 6 to decide that week’s HOH, or head of household. The houseguests must hold down a button for as long as they can while dealing with whatever the producers throw at them. When the challenge last occurred almost 18 years ago, the glass box was filled with the smell of rotten eggs and fish. This time around, the contestants didn’t have to deal with bad smells, but they were reportedly not allowed to sit, kneel, or use the bathroom, but instead had to stand and hold the button the entire time. Squatting, however, was okay.

This year, houseguest Cameron Hardin was named HOH after staying in the Pressure Cooker for approximately 13 hours and 50 minutes. He was the last one standing against audience favorite, America Lopez.

The pair were just minutes shy of breaking the Pressure Cooker record, which is 13 hours and 53 minutes.

The Big Brother live feeds showed the contestants standing around a circle, each holding down their own button – and fans tuned in for almost all of it.

Me at work in an hour after staying up all night to watch the pressure cooker, which still isn’t over #BB25 pic.twitter.com/Wro4tZyJCp

— Stanhopea (@stanhopea_stan) August 25, 2023

“I’m sorry but this is just further proof that Pressure Cooker is the greatest competition of all time. #BB25,” a viewer wrote. Many said they hoped the success of this challenge meant the franchise would bring it back again sooner.

“Big Brother 25 continues to deliver. Thank you so much to this cast,” another fan tweeted.

The contestants still received certain prizes and punishments as they trickled out of the challenge. According to fans who tuned into the live feed, Meme received a dinner party for four houseguests, while Bowie won an actual pressure cooker.

As HOH, Cameron is now free from being evicted and has the power to nominate any of the houseguests for elimination.

When the Pressure Cooker challenge last happened in Big Brother 6, contestant Jennifer Vasquez tricked audience favorite Kaysar Ridha – who had just been voted back into the house – into losing the competition by telling him he was safe from being eliminated. He threw the challenge so Vasquez could win, but she ultimately eliminated him.

Viewers will be able to catch up on everything they missed in the live feeds last night soon on Big Brother.

Big Brother airs on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS. Live streaming feeds and next-day streaming are also available on Paramount+.