If there’s one former houseguest synonymous with Big Brother, it’s Dr. Will Kirby. The franchise mainstay will be back on our screens sooner rather than later, but this time he’s not moving into the house — he’s on another reality competition show.
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Dr. Will is a two-time Big Brother contestant. His first stint on the CBS franchise dates back more than two decades ago to 2001 when he played in and won season 2. He cemented his legacy five seasons later during Big Brother: All-Stars when he and “Chill Town” ally Mike “Boogie” Malin dismantled a cast of fan favorites. He placed fourth overall but was undoubtedly the MVP of the season.
For years, Dr. Will popped up on Big Brother as the moderator for the jury roundtable segment. He was also in a guest spot during last year’s wildly popular second season of The Traitors US. But, we haven’t actually seen “The Puppet Master” compete in a reality competition game since Big Brother 7 — he’s just shown up as a personality and in a hosting capacity.
Well, that trend has changed and he’s ending his nearly 20-year-long retirement as Dr. Will has signed on for Deal or No Deal Island season 2. The NBC product debuted in February 2024, and because of its successful first season, a new crop of players are heading back to the “Banker’s private island.” The network announced season 2’s roster, which includes Dr. Will, as well as two former Survivor winners: season 16 queen Parvati Shallow and Australian Survivor: All Stars champ David Genant.
Deal or No Deal Island season 2 doesn’t have a premiere date yet. Parade reported that the season’s filming “allegedly” wrapped in summer 2024, setting it up for a late 2024 or early 2025 release date. Season 1 came out in February 2024, so NBC may elect to stick with that timeline.
“Boston Rob” Mariano of Survivor fame was the face of Deal or No Deal Island season 1. He helped draw a ton of eyeballs to the show and is credited for much of its success. NBC is following the same strategy this time around by roping in Big Brother fans in the way of pulling Dr. Will out of retirement and there is absolutely no doubt that fans of the show, who have witnessed or heard of his legendary stint on the show, won’t flock to the upcoming season of the rival reality TV show.
Expectations are high for Dr. Will
One thing to watch out for is how former Big Brother players react to Dr. Will’s performance on Deal or No Deal Island. Why? Well, he was overly critical of the four ex-houseguests who appeared in seasons 1 and 2 of The Traitors US. Past winners Dan Gheesling, Cody Calafiore, Rachel Reilly, and perennial favorite Janelle Pierzina all fell short of the finish line. He slammed their early exits during an interview with Entertainment Weekly in February.
“Well, I don’t think it’s any secret that the four Big Brother contestants on the first two seasons of The Traitors have done poorly, and I hope the fans don’t chastise me making that factual statement. See, I think some Big Brother players went on The Traitors to show that they “still got it” — only to realize that they actually ‘never had it.’”
Regardless of his words, expectations of Dr. Will are high. Many look at him as the greatest Big Brother player ever, and at worst, he’s No. 2 or 3. Deal or No Deal Island season 2 will either add to his all-time iconic legacy, or it may diminish it. If fans haven’t seen Deal or No Deal Island or want to refresh themselves ahead of season 2’s premiere, season 1 is streaming on Peacock.
