Big Brother was one of the first modern reality shows, and it is still one of the most popular reality shows on television. The American version of Big Brother launched in 2000, and it recently finished its 24th season, showing that the series has serious staying power.
Fans often wonder about the makeup of the show’s winners. Specifically, just how many Big Brother winners have been female?
How many women have won Big Brother?
There have been 7 female winners of the mainline American Big Brother series. Additionally, one of the Big Brother spin-off seasons was won by a woman. This means that in total, 8 women have won a Big Brother show.
Which women won Big Brother, and what season were they on?
The first female Big Brother winner was Lisa Donahue, who won season 3 in 2002. She beat out Danielle Reyes in the final round to claim the title, meaning that the top two places were held by women. The following season, 2003’s season 4, saw another female winner in the form of Jun Song. Jun Song beat Alison Irwin. Meaning that for two seasons in a row, the winner and runner-up were both females.
Maggie Ausburn would be the next female winner of the show, romping home to victory in season 6, which was broadcast in 2005. Interestingly, the runner-up was Ivette Corredero. So this is another time where a female winner beat a female runner-up. Jordan Lloyd was the next female winner, taking home the victory in 2009’s Season 11. She beat Natalie Martinez in the final round, marking another instance where women held both spots.
After this, there would not be another female winner until 2011. Rachel Reilly took the crown in season 13. She beat Porsche Briggs, once again, meaning that a female winner also had a female runner-up.
After this came another long gap with no female winners. This lasted until 2016. This year Nicole Franzel romped to victory in the show’s 18th season. Paul Abrahamian was the runner-up this season, meaning this is the first time a female winner has not had a female runner-up. The next and currently final female Big Brother winner was Kaycee Clark. Kaycee won Big Brother season 20 which aired in 2018.
If you include the spin-off series, there is one more female winner. In 2016 Big Brother: Over the Top was broadcast on CBS All Access, and this one-off season was won by Morgan Willett.