Big Brother’s Julie Chen Moonves Reacts to Ashley’s Vote Redo Attempt

Big Brother fans were treated to an all-time moment in the show’s 27-season history on Thursday, August 7, during a live eviction episode when houseguest Ashley Hollis cast her vote, then re-entered the diary room to try and change it.

“Too late,” host Julie Chen Moonves told Entertainment Weekly in a story published Friday, August 8. “We didn’t count her change of heart.”

Big Brother 13 winner and current houseguest Rachel Reilly seemed to spark the moment. She cast her vote to evict Kelley Jorgensen, then passed Ashley, 25, in the hallway, where Rachel, 40, appeared to stop and plead for her to vote the same way.

The conversation, inaudible to TV viewers, lasted far longer than it typically takes between votes, before Ashley finally entered the diary room. When Chen Moonves asked for her vote to evict, Ashley appeared to struggle for several seconds before voting to evict Kelley, 29, over Jimmy Heagerty.

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On the way out, she passed Will Williams, who was about to cast his vote. The two spoke briefly in another unheard conversation before Ashley pivoted and returned to the diary room to change her vote — a Big Brother first.

Ashley Hollis CBS

Chen Moonves, stationed outside the house during live episodes, was unable to do anything in the moment but say “no, no, no” into her microphone. It is unclear if Ashley was able to hear her.

“I think Ashley may be one of these people who responds to whoever is the last one to have her ear,” Chen Moonves said Friday. “Ashley’s conversation in the hall with Will after she already voted to evict Kelley influenced her decision and then she tried to change it.”

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As much as Ashley struggled with her decision, Chen Moonves didn’t seem to have much sympathy for her. She said Ashley had the chance for strategic discussions once the nominations were set. The houseguests have several minutes after the weekly Block Buster competition, in which Riley Jeffries removed himself from the chopping block this week, to discuss what to do.

“Everyone must play their own game,” she said. “She could have discussed what to do with her housemates in the house after I announced who remained on the block. That is what that time is for when I lay out and let them be, not when we begin calling people to the diary room.”

Ashley’s vote — which Chen Moonves confirmed to viewers was for Kelley’s eviction — ultimately didn’t matter. Jimmy, 25, was ultimately evicted by a 9-2 vote.

Big Brother airs on CBS on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can watch live feeds from the house anytime on Paramount+.