Hosts give lowdown on what really happens inside PBB house

“Pinoy Big Brother” hosts —PHOTOS BY MARINEL CRUZ

The reality talent search “Pinoy Big Brother” is not rigged. However, it requires you to do tasks and present situations that “trigger” your emotions and force you to reveal your true personality.

This was according to program hosts, Robi Domingo, Melai Cantiveros, Bianca Gonzalez, Enchong Dee and Alexa Ilacad, who sat down with show biz scribes recently to promote PBB’s 11th season that premieres July 20.

“Every year, we get asked if it’s true that PBB is scripted. The short answer to this is ‘no.’ They ask, ‘Why do you still hold auditions when you already know who to include in the show beforehand?’ This has never been true. Everyone you see inside the PBB house first underwent auditions, except for Celebrity Edition because it follows a different selection process,” insisted Bianca.

Melai, who is the “PBB Double Up” big winner (2008), said none of them were assigned to portray any specific character inside the house. “What you see on TV is the reflection of our true personalities. In our batch, there’s this one housemate, Princess, who volunteered to be evicted. She got angry because she felt that the program tried to play with our emotions. So you see, there’s really no script. When you are faced with challenges, you will feel pressured. You will surely get to know yourself more when you’re inside the house,” she explained.

Scripted?

“I guess people think the show is scripted because they see us carry around pieces of paper, but these contain our tasks. They help trigger a housemate’s emotion. Where this will take him will depend entirely on him. If it was scripted, Jason and I wouldn’t have had two daughters if we’re still in the drama,” Melai said, laughing.

Bianca added that what could be interesting to study is how people, who present themselves as strong, daring and brave during auditions, organically change when made to engage with other people inside the PBB house. “When they get mixed with other housemates, some of them choose to fold up and keep quiet. They really change, so you can’t tell,” said Bianca, who placed third in “PBB Celebrity Edition” in 2005.

Enchong, who was a house guest of “PBB 737” in 2015, recalled how the experience enabled him to know himself better. “What they are saying is true. I remember when I entered the house, I was feeling annoyed about something. You will really have trouble hiding how you feel. Your true personality will come out no matter how much you filter yourself,” he stressed. “After two or three days, you will start to feel comfortable staying there. You will start building a family, and when that happens, your true self comes out.”

Series of auditions

Robi agreed with Enchong and said people initially try to put their best foot forward. “Is it scripted? Never, but you go through a series of auditions, and these auditions have many layers of interviews,” he began.

“Here, we don’t have a scriptwriter, but we have a story editor. They ask the housemates, ‘Sino ba ang bubog mo sa buhay?’ This becomes the editors’ instrument to present housemates to the audience. It’s up to the housemates how to react. That’s how PBB operates,” explained Robi, who was first runner-up in “PBB Teen Edition Plus” in 2008. “Eventually, you will no longer feel conscious of the cameras around you. They will become part of your daily life. You’d still put on makeup in the beginning, but in the succeeding days, you will even feel too tired to take a bath.”

Alexa, who joined “PBB Kumunity Season 10” in 2021, admitted that she had worked out a plan before entering the house. “I wanted to portray a certain persona. Since I’m a strong, independent woman, I wanted people to see that, but no, I kept crying. I felt really vulnerable. I guess all the sides of you will show when you’re inside because you’re triggered or because these are emotions you truly feel,” said Alex.

‘The real me’

“When I stepped out, I learned that people didn’t like me during the first weeks—they couldn’t understand my personality. As days went by, when the real me came out, they started appreciating me,” Alexa recalled. “It’s impossible to rig the show. As a matter of fact, Ma’am Cory (Vidanes, ABS-CBN COO for broadcast) asked me, ‘Alexa, this is a make-or-break thing for you. Are you willing to do it? People will either love you or hate you.’ It’s really up to the person. Can you pretend to be someone you’re not for two whole months? This will serve as your tool to get on in there.”

Bianca believes it’s impossible for a housemate to always be thinking of how to best present himself while inside the PBB house. “Although each housemate is introduced with their monikers, this doesn’t describe the housemate as a whole. If you are challenged to accomplish a task, or if you suddenly fall in love, or if you feel anxious, your true self will show. Until you become a housemate, nobody knows your real side, so there’s something in you as a person that’s bound to come out.”

“Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11” will premiere on July 20. It will air weekdays at 10:15 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, TV5 and iWantTFC. From July 15 to 19, viewers will get to know one new housemate per day via the program, “Star Hunt: The Audition Show.”