Heading into the third episode of “Big Brother 26,” all 16 houseguests had moved into the house and Ainsley the AI bot already put her stamp on the game. Cedric Hodges and Chelsie Baham had their games downgraded, and won’t be allowed to play in the HOH or Veto competitions. Instead, they’ll be “BB Mascots” and won’t even be able to vote in the live eviction (but they can still be nominated). Meanwhile, Makensy Manbeck and Quinn Martin will have their games upgraded, but we still don’t know how.

Below, read our minute-by-minute “Big Brother” Season 26, Episode 3 recap/live blog to find out what happened Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite “BB26” houseguests on CBS‘s reality TV show, who annoys you the most and who you think will ultimately join the “Big Brother” winners list. Julie Chen Moonves once again hosts the series.

9:10 p.m. — Still reeling from the shock of Cedric and Chelsie’s downgrades, the houseguests sit around the living room and get to know each other. Meanwhile, nobody is aware that Makensy and Quinn have the advantages, and we’re still not sure of what those advantages are. During introductions, a rivalry seems to develop between chefs Lisa and Tucker. It seems all fun on Lisa’s end, but something about her personality seems to be rubbing other houseguests the wrong way. Chelsie has an early crush on Cam, stating he’s “really good to look at.” Kenney the police officer lies about his job, telling everyone he works in concessions. Cedric also lies about his job as a data analyst, hoping people think he’s a stupid model. But nobody is more pumped than 50-year-old Angela, who is thrilled to have this opportunity. After seeing all the beautiful girls introduce themselves, Cam pledges to stay single so a showmance doesn’t ruin his game. We’ve heard that before!