3 Facts about Big Brother 26 winner Chelsie Baham: The triple threat who walked away with $750,000

Chelsie Baham, the nonprofit director with a heart of gold, has claimed the coveted Big Brother 26 crown! After a season filled with twists, turns, and backstabbing alliances, Baham’s strategic gameplay earned her a stack of $750,000 during Sunday night’s electrifying two-hour finale. She managed to outmaneuver her competition and secure a unanimous victory, leaving fellow finalists Makensy Manbeck and Cam Sullivan-Brown in the dust.

The Finale round- Chelsie, Cam and Makensy

Chelsie was a standout player in Big Brother 26, proving herself as a “triple threat.” This means she excelled in three key areas: competing, strategising, and socialising. In the final round, Chelsie faced off against her fellow contestants, Makensy Manbeck and Cam Sullivan-Brown, who finished in second and third place, respectively.

The season’s major twist was the BB AI Arena, which forced Heads of Household to nominate three players for eviction instead of two. The three nominees would then compete live on eviction night, with the winner earning safety and the remaining two facing an eviction vote.

Chelsie’s strategic savvy was on full display when she cleverly convinced Makensy to say goodbye to their mutual ally, Leah Peters. Chelsie was smart enough to build strong social bonds, ensuring she was never in the hot seat when it came to eviction time. The gameplay led to a unanimous jury victory over Makensy, despite Makensy’s impressive run, including winning the final Head of Household and a whopping ten competitions!

Who is Chelsie Baham?

A nonprofit director

After nearly three months in the intense environment of the Big Brother 26 house, Chelsie Baham, born on December 28, 1996, and serving as a “creative/art director for Abundant Living Family Church in Rancho Cucamonga, California,” cleverly navigated the game to secure her place in history.

Speaking about her gameplay and a big win, Chelsie said, “I was strategic, I was social, I was skillful. I won when I wanted to, not when I had to,” according to The Parade’s post-win interview.

“If you look at my game, it’s not one-sided, it’s a diamond. If you look at it from multiple perspectives, you can say, ‘That is beautiful.’”

A former athlete

She used to play for the college basketball team at Biola University and La Sierra University. Throughout her journey on the show, she faced plenty of drama, including a crushing power shift that cost her two of her closest allies. After entering BB26, her social media game has also exploded. Since being in the Big Brother house, Chelsie’s Instagram account has skyrocketed with over 30K followers as of October.

Head of Household competitions

Chelsie Baham made history this season by becoming the first woman in years to win four Head of Household competitions in a single Big Brother season. Her impressive achievement rivals that of Vanessa Rousso, who accomplished the same feat in season 17. She was also the first woman to win a civilian season unanimously. Her perfect gameplay, marked by zero eviction votes and a unanimous jury vote places her as a Big Brother legend.