What Big Brother Winner Dan Gheesling Is Doing Today
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Dan Gheesling essentially became a "Big Brother" legend after winning Season 10 back in 2008. His first "Big Brother" profile with CBS noted he earned a master's degree in kinesiology and attended Michigan State University. He taught at an all-boys Catholic school prior to appearing on reality television, and he coached football in the past, too. Once he joined "Big Brother," though, he became much more than a young teacher and coach.
That Season 10 win of Dan's was the first where any "Big Brother" contestant won in a unanimous vote, noted his subsequent CBS profile. Dan returned for Season 14, but in that case, he faced an uphill battle. He was one of several "mentors" joining the game as show veterans, and they were eventually given the chance to compete for themselves. He teased that he was aiming to be thought of as the "best player to ever play this game," but his second run for the winning title did not go quite as smoothly as the first. CBS News shared that Dan made the finale and he sat alongside Ian Terry while the jury voted. Ultimately, Ian won over Dan with six votes to one. Despite getting flounced in that second run, Dan remains something of a "Big Brother" icon, which might have a lot of fans wondering... What's he doing now?
Dan Gheesling has been 'enjoying dad life'
In the years since winning "Big Brother," Dan Gheesling's life has changed a lot. He married Chelsea Niemiec, whose LinkedIn notes she was a fellow Catholic school teacher, in 2011 (per Just Jared). The couple welcomed their first son, Desmond, in July 2016 and little brother, Miles, joined the crew in March 2018. On June 8, Dan shared via Instagram he and Chelsea were expecting their third child.
Dan told E! News he's been "enjoying dad life" in recent months, with "my wife Chelsea's business taking off during the pandemic." He launched a Twitch broadcast, which he'd had "in development for eight years," and he added he has "been fortunate to be able to spend even more time around my boys, which has been amazing." Dan has also worked to build his gaming brand via a YouTube channel and Reddit group, and his Amazon page lists several books he has written. In addition, his bio notes that he has done a fair amount of public speaking, talking to groups at universities about leadership and management skills.
Many "Big Brother" fans hope Dan will return for another season at some point. He told E! News, "'Big Brother' has been such a great part of my life and am so grateful for the experience," and he's often on social media during new seasons commenting on the action. In the meantime, it appears Dan's more than content focusing on being a fabulous dad to his kids and building his online audiences.