GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios, two of the biggest media and content creation hubs in the Philippines, inked a deal on Tuesday, formalizing yet another groundbreaking collaboration: the iconic reality show ‘Pinoy Big Brother’ will soon be airing on GMA-7.
The contract signing event was a momentous one for both parties, especially coming off a highly successful partnership in 2024 courtesy of noontime show “It’s Showtime” and box office top-grosser “Hello, Love, Again.”
Network executives from GMA and ABS-CBN graced the event: GMA Network’s President and Chief Executive Officer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., Executive Committee Chairman Joel G. Jimenez, SVP for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group, and President and CEO of GMA Films Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes; and ABS-CBN counterparts Chairman Mark L. Lopez, President and CEO Carlo L. Katigbak, and COO for Broadcast Cory V. Vidanes.
“MALAPIT NA MALAPIT NA”
As of publishing, fans and netizens can only choose to speculate about the reality show’s details as very minimal information has so far been officially disclosed by the networks.
GMA Network executive Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes said that PBB on GMA will happen very soon.
“Abangan nyo ang pagsasama-sama ng mga Kapuso at Kapamilya housemates sa teleserye ng totoong buhay– malapit na malapit na sa GMA!” she said during a brief speech.
She also thanked ABS-CBN for welcoming the Kapuso network to the PBB house– just in front of the ABS-CBN building– and even poked fun at the “feeling” of being inside ‘Kuya’s’ house.
“Our partnership with ABS-CBN has reached new creative heights on TV, on streaming, and in the movies– with the recently concluded record-breaking movie Hello, Love, Again,” shared Gozon-Valdes, pertaining to the box office mega-hit starring Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo. The movie was a joint project by GMA Pictures and ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema.
“And here we are, we are very excited to collaborate with ABS-CBN to bring to the Filipino audience the country's longest-running reality show Pinoy Big Brother,” she added.
Also announced was the fact that, because it’s a collaboration project, the ‘housemates’ will be coming from the networks’ talent agencies namely Sparkle and Star Magic.
The upcoming PBB season, dubbed as the ‘Celebrity Edition Collab,’ is made more special as the reality competition show is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, while Sparkle is also turning 30 this year.
“PBB is a cultural phenomenon that celebrates real and no-filter life stories,” Gozon-Valdes said, “and serves as a launchpad for dreams, so thank you to our storytelling partners ABS-CBN and Banijay.”
As for ABS-CBN’s COO for Broadcasting Cory V. Vidanes, this “valuable partnership” with the Kapuso network unifies “not only us but all our Kapuso and Kapamilya fans; all our Sparkle and Star Magic artists.”
The network executive also made a pledge that this joint project is going to be a massive one as two of the leading media organizations in the country “join forces– GMA and ABS-CBN collab!”
“Rest assured to all the viewers and advertisers– we commit to giving you a very exciting, compelling, fun, and enjoyable experience… Maraming-maraming salamat, (I am) looking forward to being with you on GMA-7 soon,” Vidanes concluded.