Big Brother Season 26 winner has been announced as Chelsie Baham took home the crown, but it would be unfair to not talk about the 10 time HoH Comp winner, and also the runner-up of the season, Makensy Manbeck.
Makensy Manbeck had nothing short of glorious run in season 26. She came as a shy, but confident person, and turned the game upside down in mid-season, especially after Tucker's elimination.
Makensy gave a good fight to Chelsie Baham, the winner of the season. By winning the last HoH of Big Brother season 26, she decided that it would be a girl versus girl finale, and chose Chelsie as her competitor. The jury selected Chelsie as the winner, but Makensy was appreciated for game. Angea Murray, one of the jurors also said that she had it way harder than the other two, and deserved to win.
However, in the end, what the jury decides, prevails. Makensy finished as a runner up and won $75,000, whereas Cam, who finished third and later joined the jurors, won $50,000.
In her preseason interview with John Powell, Makensy revealed why she though she could win the Big Brother season 26. She said:
"I think I'll win Big Brother just because I keep saying this but I think. I'm a triple threat socially mentally physically I've kind of got all."
Though, she did not get winner's crown, but she was correct when she said she got it all. She performed all her HoH Comps with resilience, strength, be it physical or mental, and put the right strategies when required. Let's take an in-depth look into the life of the runner-up of Big Brother season 26.
Big Brother season 26 runner-up, Makensy Manbeck: personal life, career and more.
Makensy Manbeck hails from Friendswood, Texas, United States, and has achieved a lot at her age at just 22-years-old. She was born on April 22, 2002, which makes her a Gen Z. She holds academic studies and sports on a high pedastal in her life. She has been a volleyball payer in her high school years. She went to Friendswood High School for her early education and later, she joined Texas A&M University to pursue major in Construction Engineering.
Before entering the Big Brother house, she worked as a Project Engineer at The Dinerstein Companies, as per her LinkedIn profile. She joined the company in March 2024, and before that, worked as a Project Engineer at Allen Harrison Company, from August 2023 to March 2024. Her mother Wendy Manbeck and brother TJ Manbeck have been her biggest support.
After few weeks in her reality TV journey, she posted a picture with her family and captioned it:
"Out here taking on the Big Brother house, but my heart is always with the Manbeck crew."
The runner-up of season 26 was confident that she would make a mark in the show, and she was right when she said so. She had been a competitive player, and a honest ally.
She kept her alliance with Chelsie throughout, and even choose her after her final HoH win to be in the final two. In the pre-season interview, she mentioned that she was not a superfan of Big Brother but now, when she has experienced the house, her thoughts might have changed. She described her self as kind, real and outgoing in the pre-season interview, and added:
"I’m gonna give it to you straight. I’d be the one to watch this summer because I like how I look and I hope other people do too, non-conceitedly, I would also say though I’m a good person to watch because I am nice, I’m gonna say I’m funny, I think I’m hilarious.”
Big Brother season 26 finale aired on October 13, on CBS at 9 pm ET.