Showbiz Roundup: Heart Evangelista on Pia Wurtzbach; Ellen Adarna gives birth

Ellen Adarna gave a little shock to fans when her husband Derek Ramsay announced that she gave birth to their first child. The news was a surprise to many, as neither Adarna nor Ramsay ever confirmed that they were expecting a baby.

Heart Evangelista, on the other hand, finally addressed her longstanding spat with Pia Wurtzbach. However, she pointed out that the people whom Wurtzbach surrounded herself with made the situation “problematic” between them, apparently referring to her former glam team.

Look back on the top entertainment headlines from October 18 to 24.

Ellen Adarna, Derek Ramsay welcome first child

Ellen Adarna added another bundle of joy to her growing family, as she gave birth to her first child with her husband Derek Ramsay.

Ramsay took to his Instagram page on October 23 to announce the birth of his baby with Adarna. The photo showed the actress cradling her baby in a hospital bed while appearing to cover the child’s face intentionally. She was joined by her son Elias in the tender moment.

The baby’s gender and exact date of birth remain unknown.

“My world keeps getting better and better,” Ramsay captioned his post.

Adarna was hounded with pregnancy speculations in June 2024, after Ramsay shared photos of them with the caption, “Can’t wait. Alam mo na,” which led to netizens wondering if they were expecting their first child.

The couple said “I do” in November 2021 after a whirlwind romance. Both have children from previous relationships — Ellen has Elias with ex-boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz, while Ramsay is the father to Austin Ramsay with his ex-wife Christine Jolly.

Heart Evangelista denies ‘problem’ with Pia Wurtzbach

Addressing for the first time the alleged feud between them, Heart Evangelista said she never had a problem with Pia Wurtzbach, but the people surrounding the 2015 Miss Universe titleholder made the situation between them untenable.

At a press conference for her upcoming reality show, “Heart World,” Evangelista was asked about her thoughts on being pitted with Wurtzbach.

“It’s once and for all. Woman to woman, I never had a problem with Pia [Wurtzbach]. I was one of those who cheered for her in the past. And I’d like to think that it was the same for her. She was so sweet enough to post the hashtag ‘Heart made do it.’ And at the time, I was so touched,” she said.

However, Evangelista said it was the people that Wurtzbach decided to “surround herself with for specific reasons,” which made the situation “problematic” for her, apparently referring to her former glam team who are now working with the latter.

“If I have a message for Pia, congratulations. You have what you needed. I wish you nothing but the best. And good luck. Sana hindi mangyari sa’yo ‘yung nangyari sa’kin,” she added.

Evangelista was also asked if her “former team” will be featured on her upcoming reality show during the media con.

“Well, most definitely, my past is part of my story. So as much as possible, I will show everything in ‘Heart World.’ And I guess, really, truly, the moral lesson for me, I consider myself medyo beterana sa industriya because I’ve been here for almost 27 years. It’s a long time for me. I’ve been through a lot,” she began.

Without naming any incident in particular, Evangelista said that while “some stay [and] some go,” she pointed out that it’s important to be “truly careful” of “emotional terrorists” who seemingly are out to destroy someone’s life.

“I’ve met different kinds of people. Some stay, some go. But you have to truly careful of who you trust and whom you freely give your heart away because sometimes, may makakapasok na emotional terrorists that are there to kill and destroy your life. You have to be wary of that,” she said.

Reflecting on her past experiences, Evangelista admitted that she regretted putting her loved ones at risk. She also hinted at a certain “crime” although she didn’t disclose what crime it was.

“Beware of emotional terrorists. They do exist,” she said. “A crime was committed. It’s still me, you know. It was me who decided [to let them enter my life]. But you have to take care of it. Masira na buhay ko, huwag lang masira buhay ng pamilya ko… If you’re too open, may makakapasok.”

Neither Wurtzbach nor her current glam team have yet to address the statement.

Cristy Fermin charged with cyber libel

Veteran entertainment columnist Cristy Fermin was indicted on five counts of cyber libel in a complaint filed by actress Sharon Cuneta and her husband, former senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.

The Makati Prosecutors Office approved filing the case against Fermin before the regional trial court.

“It is respectfully recommended that Cristinelli S. Fermin be indicted for five counts of libel under Article 355 of the RPC (Revised Penal Code) in relation to Section 4 (c)(4) of RA 10175, and the corresponding Information be filed in court,” read the resolution.

Section 4 (c)(4) of RA 10175 refers to the “unlawful or prohibited acts of libel as defined under Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, committed through a computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the future.”

Fermin was indicted due to six videos she uploaded on her YouTube channel, “Showbiz Now Na!,” including titles of “KC, dedma lang sa mga comments ni Mega!” (KC snubs Mega’s comments), “KC, ayaw na ng drama! Mega, may favoritism!” (KC won’t have the drama; Mega has favoritism), and “Palusot ni Sharon, buking!” (Sharon’s excuse, exposed).

“[The] complainants assert that [the] respondent publicly discussed and criticized Sharon’s private life, such as her estranged relationship with her daughter, Maria Kristina Cassandra (“KC”), her alleged marital conflict with her husband, Kiko, and Kiko’s supposed participation in the rift between KC and his own daughters with Sharon,” the resolution read.

The prosecutor recommended a bail of P48,000 for every count of cyberlibel or a total of P240,000.

Cuneta and Pangilinan filed the complaint last May 10.

Kris Aquino on cancer scare, new show

Kris Aquino revealed that she was suspected of having colon cancer, although she was eventually declared to be cancer-free while reiterating that her relationship with “Dr. Mike” will strictly be private.

In a lengthy Instagram post on October 20, Aquino recalled how she was suspected of being diagnosed with the disease, saying it was discovered after a series of “devastating” tests at the St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City in Taguig.

“My gastroenterologist had no choice but to tell me because I [needed] to start my purse for my endoscopy and colonoscopy. The abdominal area, specifically my colon area lit up. I’m normally very brave. But I broke down after my doctor left… My mom’s oncologist had to come in, and it felt surreal,” she continued.

Colon cancer is a common occurrence in Aquino’s family. Her mother, the late President Corazon C. Aquino, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in March 2008. Aquino’s “Lola Ma” (Demetria Sumulong) also had the same disease.

Aquino, her mother, and her Lola Ma “share the same blood type” with her sons Joshua and Bimby. She, too, along with her five siblings have the same blood type as the late president.

Referring to her new beau as “Dr. Mike,” Aquino said he stayed by her side as she awaited the results of her tests until she was informed sometime in the late afternoon that she was cancer-free.

Despite this, Aquino is still battling with “possibly six” autoimmune conditions, with three of them being life-threatening. “They can damage my vital organs or my blood vessels, specifically my artery connecting my lungs to my heart—to the extent that I can die immediately from a stroke or aneurysm or cardiac arrest.”

“The [three] autoimmune conditions are Churg Strauss now known as EGPA (a rare form of vasculitis; Systemic Sclerosis or scleroderma; and lupus or SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus,” she continued. “My heart is in good shape. But I am hypertensive. Usually, my diastolic and heart rate are very elevated. Praying it’s not because of pulmonary hypertension.”

In her post, Aquino also reiterated that her relationship with “Dr. Mike” will continue to stay private, although she hinted that she hopes to marry him soon.

“Apologies, but until my groom and I exchange vows, in that very small wedding (but surely not held outdoors), I’m choosing to keep my relationship private. Ibalato n’yo na sa kin n’un. Invited naman kayong lahat if and when sa kasal.”

The actress-host then shared that she’s planning to launch a new show with ABS-CBN before the year ends. She has yet to disclose if the show will be a digital or TV-based show and other details.

Kim Chiu, Darren Espanto rushed to hospital

“It’s Showtime” hosts Kim Chiu and Darren Espanto had unexpected visits to the hospital due to undisclosed conditions, but they shared that these were amid their preparations for their much-anticipated performance on the show’s “Magpasikat” anniversary special.

Espanto took to Instagram on Oct. 17, to share a photo of him giving a thumbs-up with his hand covered with bandage. The photo clearly was taken at the hospital, as it shows the word “radiology” in the background.

“I gave my all in the training for ‘Magpasikat’ 2024,” he wrote in his caption.

On X, the “Voice Kids” winner asked his followers to pray for the noontime show’s hosts as they are all working hard for their anniversary performance.

Meanwhile, Chiu shared a photo of her inside an ambulance with only a part of her legs showing, writing in her caption, “Magpasikat realness.”

In another photo, the actress-host gave a thumbs-up, showing her hand with dextrose and saying, “All good.”

It turned out that Chiu and Espanto’s “Magpasikat” performances included a high-flying routine and an interpretative dance number with a metal ring, respectively.

“It’s Showtime” marked its 15th anniversary with its “Magpasikat” segment, a talent competition where the hosts and other cast members compete against one another.

Charo Santos-Concio now a Philippine Air Force reservist

Former ABS-CBN CEO Charo Santos-Concio is now a Philippine Air Force (PAF) Reservist after graduating from her “rewarding and challenging” training at the PAF.

Santos-Concio announced this on her Instagram page on October 19, recalling how she “embraced every challenge” and found joy in every step of the way.

“I am Charo, now a certified Philippine Air Force (PAF) reservist,” she began. “It’s never too late to start something new, to challenge yourself, and to keep on growing. Today marks my graduation from the PAF Reservist training—a journey that was as rewarding as it was challenging.”

The “Maalaala Mo Kaya” host said she developed a “renewed love for [the] country” throughout her experience while urging her followers to pursue their passions despite their age.

“Spending these past few weeks alongside my fellow reservists has been an honor, and I hope my story encourages you to pursue your passions, face your fears, and keep moving forward. No matter where you are in life, know that growth is always possible,” she said.

Santos-Concio was the host of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” until its final episode in December 2022. She was also the chief of the ABS-CBN Corporation from 2012 to 2016, and is currently the chief content officer of and the president of ABS-CBN University.

Jodi Sta. Maria on ‘heartbreaking’ ABS-CBN layoffs

Jodi Sta. Maria expressed her dismay over ABS-CBN Corporation letting go of another batch of employees amid financial struggles due to declining ad revenues.

Sta. Maria reposted a news article about the Lopez family-led company’s difficult decision to lay off around 100 employees, saying, “Heartbreaking.”

Aside from the actress, broadcast journalist Lynda Jumilla-Abalos also extended her sympathies to the employees affected by the layoffs, writing on X, “Hugs to everyone affected.”

Jumilla-Abalos also slammed those trying to “make a joke” out of the dismissal of employees. “People are losing their jobs and facing a bleak Christmas, and some just want to be malignantly evil.”

On Oct. 16, the media group said in a statement that it “made the difficult decision” of retrenching about 3 percent of its workforce due to the financial loss it has suffered since the shutdown of its franchise in 2020.

In an interview with the Inquirer, ABS-CBN supervisors’ union president Raul De Asis said the management decision was painful but that it was necessary to “keep the business running.”

Amid its franchise expiration, the company announced in 2020 that it would be laying off around 11,000 employees. It was reported that 4,552 staff members, including 2,674 regular employees were affected by the move.

Despite the loss, ABS-CBN said it made “significant progress” in its business amid the shift to all-digital, citing examples like the Dingdong Dantes-Marian Rivera-led movie “Rewind,” which went on to become the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time.

Other Star Cinema films that earned significantly at the box office are “Un/Happy for You” and “A Very Good Girl.” Meanwhile, shows like “Batang Quiapo” and “It’s Showtime” have also been generating high ratings. The media giant also hit 50 million subscribers on YouTube.