"I did not"- Big Brother 26 Tucker on throwing AI Arena comp allegations

Season 26 of Big Brother aired episode 21 on August 29, 2024, on CBS, in which Tucker, Angela, and Makensy were nominated for the elimination block. The three nominees were allowed to save themselves from elimination by winning the AI Arena competition.

The name of the competition was “Puzzling Password” in which the players had to assemble an oversized puzzle. This would reveal a numerical password the contestants had to match from a series of encrypted choices. Makensy ultimately won the challenge against the two competitors with time to spare and was safe from the nominations.

Before the match, Tucker tried to bond with Makensy and told her in the house of Big Brother that since she was safe, she should throw the AI Arena to him. Due to his winning record in the previous comps, many speculated that Tucker threw the game instead and allegedly wanted to get eliminated.

He recently appeared in Rob Has A Podcast on August 30, 2024, and addressed the online speculations of him throwing the competition intentionally.

"No, I did not. It is a mental battle and I was enjoying that mental competition. Every night I would cry tears for my cute little pup... I was growing as a person in there and wanted to continue to do that. I did not throw that whatsoever. I am kicking myself in the butt for that," stated Tucker.

He also claimed that due to his dyslexia, a learning disorder, he had trouble listening to the directions and started incorrectly arranging the puzzles leading to his elimination.

---

Big Brother season 26 star Tucker wishes he hadn't volunteered for the elimination

In episode 19, when T'Kor was chosen as the HoH (Head of Household), she revealed her plan to use Tucker as a pawn when nominating houseguests for elimination.

She stated that putting Tucker on the line would give false hope to others that T'Kor wasn't being biased with her nominations. This could help her target Makensy and oust her from the competition altogether.

Since Tucker was part of an alliance with T'Kor that also featured Rubina, Angela, and Kimo, he hesitantly volunteered to go in the elimination block. By episode 21 of Big Brother, faltering alliances meant that Tucker started becoming the target of houseguests who saw the latter as a solid competitor.

In the same episode of Rob Has A Podcast, Tucker was asked about having any regrets while staying in the Big Brother house. Tucker revealed that he's "everything happens for a reason guy."

He further said doesn't regret his time in the house since he got to meet his showmance, Rubina, with whom he wants to continue a relationship outside the show.

Tucker still mentioned that if given a chance, he wouldn't volunteer to go in the elimination block again. Explaining he did so because he related with T'Kor as they both are artists and wanted to help her during her reign of HoH. Tucker said:

"Maybe wouldn't offer to go up to T'Kor. I had to do that out of my innate nature to put others before myself and being a very empathetic person. And having overjoyed with tears for somebody else who was overjoyed and filled with tears."

He further added:

"I've never felt that so intensely in my life and I just wanted it to be the easiest thing for her being the HoH 'cause I know how hard it is and we're both struggling artists back home, so wanted to help her out."

Tucker was eventually eliminated from the competition during the voting round as Makensy won the AI Arena, leaving Angela and Tucker to battle it out. The houseguests voted 5-3 against Tucker, eliminating him from Big Brother's house.