'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Big Brother Season 24 ended after fan-favorite contestant Taylor Hale became the first black woman in the franchise's history to win the coveted title and the cash prize of $750,000. Not only did she create history, but Taylor also became the first show-winner to grab the title of America's Favorite Player (AFP) too. Hale beat Monte with an 8-1 majority.
Not only were fans, celebrities, and other viewers rooting for her throughout the season, but fellow Big Brother houseguest Joseph Abdin stood by her side and supported her until the end. He beamed after Taylor made her historic speech to the jury. Speaking about her connection with Joseph, she said:
"He’s literally the best support system ever. Everybody saw that in the game and getting it back is the best thing in the world. But I don’t wanna jump into a relationship, almost trauma-bonding with someone. I just wanna make sure that I have my head straight. He’s good. And then we can really work on exploring."
The duo had a "fauxmance" in the house, but it has certainly developed into a stronger connection. In an interview with US Weekly, Taylor and Joseph opened up about their connection and their experience in the house.
Big Brother Season 24 stars Taylor Hale and Joseph Abdin open up about their time on the show
Taylor Hale's first few weeks in the Big Brother house were mired with challenges. She was targeted since Day 1 and had been nominated by fellow houseguests for eviction six times throughout the season. However, her story of resilience and perseverance resonated with fans and celebrities in the industry, who took to social media to voice their support.
Fans have also been rooting for Taylor and Joseph to get together as the duo proved to be one of the most popular "showmances" in the franchise. In an interview with US Weekly, the duo opened up about their connection.
Taylor confessed that Joseph had a "warm and inviting presence" about him. She further revealed that her "fate was sealed every single day." The winner went on to confess it was Joseph who stood by her.
"Joseph, no matter whether I was forced or needed to be in a corner, you would always just check on me and be like, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ And for someone to even care or feign like they could care, even a pinky amount about how I was doing, it was very, very difficult in that house. And Joseph was willing to be a friend to someone that everyone was painting out to be the most disgusting villain."
The 25-year-old attorney confessed that he had eyes on Taylor from the beginning. Joseph replaced Marvin Achi ahead of the season premiere.
"I kind of saw Taylor a little bit right before we walked in. So she always stayed on my radar in that aspect. I was like, ‘God damn.’ So even on premiere night, when I walked in, the first thing – which I just, like, hours ago find out I’m coming on the show – I’m like, Where’d that girl go?"
Although Joseph and Taylor had a strong connection in the Big Brother house, the former was evicted during the Dyre Fest week, when Taylor was back in the Big Brochella team during the Split House twist. Although she was devastated to see her closest friend leave, she powered through the rest of the game and won the title.
While making the jury speech, the Big Brother winner successfully convinced the jury with a powerful speech and her iconic line,
"I am not a shield, I am a sword. I am not a victim, I am a victor."
She won with 8-1 votes in her favor. Speaking about the same, Joseph said,
"When she was making her speech, I was like, There you go, girl. That was the nail in the coffin. We’re good. I was like, This should be unanimous."
The Big Brother stars also complimented the fans for making an effort to shower their love and support on them. They said they enjoyed going through tweets and "spent hours cracking up" on the same. However, they maintained that they were currently "taking care of themselves" and that Taylor was "not gonna let go of Joseph anytime soon."
