BIG BROTHER is back for its 27th season with a brand-new theme called “Big Brother: A Summer Mystery,” hosted by Julie Chen Moonves. The show is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Since its first episode in 2000, the long-running CBS reality competition has kept viewers hooked by locking a group of contestants (called “Houseguests”) in a house full of cameras and watching their every move 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Houseguests compete for power, make deals, and try to stay in the game by completing weekly challenges. Season 27 adds a murder mystery twist to the drama, with a visitor wearing a mask, a hidden partner, and a surprise “Mystery Houseguest” whose identity is kept secret.
People who live on the show compete in Head of Household (HOH) and Power of Veto (PoV) competitions every week while being cut off from the rest of the world. They voted in secret to get rid of other contestants and get closer to the $750,000 prize. But what makes Season 27 especially intriguing is its immersive set design that supports this year’s murder-mystery theme.
So, where was this thrilling new version of the Big Brother house created? Let’s take a look at the exact filming locations and behind-the-scenes setup.
WHERE WAS BIG BROTHER 27 FILMED?
Like the previous seasons, Big Brother 27 was filmed entirely in California, in the lively city of Los Angeles. Production started on July 8, 2025, and was supposed to last for about three months, until the finale in October 2025. The filming took place in a house that was completely custom-built and built on a soundstage. The house was private and the conditions were controlled so that filming could happen 24 hours a day.
RADFORD STUDIO CENTER – STUDIO CITY, LOS ANGELES
The Big Brother house is located inside Radford Studio Center (formerly known as CBS Studio Center), situated at 4024 Radford Avenue in Studio City, a neighborhood in Los Angeles. Specifically, the production occupies Sound Stage 18, which has been home to Big Brother for many years.
There are 22 sound stages, 172,737 square feet of support space—and 210,000 square feet of office space on the 55-acre Radford lot. Backlot sets like Residential Street and New York Street are also in the studio complex. In addition to the main house, the studio provides cast and crew access to essential amenities such as a commissary, a gym, a beauty salon, and even a car wash—all within the gated studio property.
HOTEL MYSTÈRE: DESIGNING THE SUMMER MYSTERY HOUSE
This season’s set, titled Hotel Mystère, was designed by long-time production designer Scott Storey, who has worked on several previous Big Brother seasons. Storey completely reimagined the interior of Stage 18 to reflect the “Summer Mystery” vibe.
The house includes an eerie attic bedroom, a secret wine cellar, and a reception-style living area guarded by mysterious chess pieces. There’s also a rooftop garden kitchen, a Victorian conservatory, a boxing ring-themed gym, and a sleeper train bunk room—all of which add layers to the unfolding mystery. These immersive spaces are both places to live and clues in the season’s “whodunit” mystery.
The set pieces can be seen in photos and reels shared on social media. Fans could see the retro-style reception desk and creepy decorations in an Instagram post (link), and another reel (link) showed how much attention to detail was used on set, which helped build excitement before the season premiere.
BEHIND THE SCENES SETUP
Filming a reality series like Big Brother requires enormous technical coordination. Dozens of cameras and microphones are hidden in mirrors, walls, and ceilings to capture candid moments 24/7. A full control room team works behind the scenes at the Radford Studio Center to monitor, direct, and record footage that becomes the daily and weekly episodes aired on CBS.
The house is specially built with production-friendly features—movable walls, two-way mirrors, and camera tracks—so that nothing goes unnoticed. Diary Room sessions, competitions, and nomination ceremonies are all filmed on site within the same controlled space.
This centralized production model has proven efficient and successful for over two decades, allowing producers to create high-stakes drama without ever leaving the soundstage.
TOUR BIG BROTHER SEASON 27’S HOTEL MYSTÈRE
Stay tuned to Netfilming.com for more updates, filming news, and behind-the-scenes.
