Hosting “Pinoy Big Brother” is already a thrilling experience, but we bet it's twice the fun and memories for Bianca Gonzalez, Robi Domingo, Enchong Dee, Melai Cantiveros, Kim Chiu, and Alexa Ilacad because they're not just hosts—they were all once housemates, too

Before their much-anticipated return for the newest PBB, Kuya’s family looks back on their core PBB memories and experiences—both inside the house and on stage! 

For Alexa Ilacad, nothing beats the hype and energy of hosting a Big Night, which she got to experience in the previous season, “PBB Gen 11”—and it came with a completely unforgettable moment. If you’ve seen her viral clip from that night, you know exactly what went down—she asked the audience if they agreed with what she had just said, only to be met with no response. 

Hosting live at a venue was a completely new experience for Alexa since she was used to just doing it on PBB's online station. During the Big Night, she was advised to interact with the audience to make her hosting more engaging, and in return, the crowd promised to respond to her spiels. But to her surprise, that awkward silence happened.

"Isa ‘yun sa mga moments as a host na I had to think really fast kasi kinakausap ko ['yung audience] tapos hindi na nila ako pinansin. Nag-joke na lang ako ng, 'Ay, hindi na nila ako pinansin.' Medyo nag-panic ako do'n deep inside," she shared, laughing.

As for Melai, her best memory as a former housemate from the "Double Up" era 15 years ago, of course, was when she was hailed the Big Winner. Add to that, meeting her co-housemate-turned-husband, Jason Francisco. She always says that if it weren’t for PBB, she and Jason wouldn’t have crossed paths and they wouldn’t have their two adorable daughters, Mela and Stela.

Meanwhile, her most unforgettable PBB hosting experience happened during an eviction night for "Kumunity Season 10 Teen Edition" where she and Enchong struggled to get through their spiels because they couldn’t stop laughing. She knew Enchong would also bring up that moment in this interview. 

And he did. Enchong said that netizens must've kept receipts of this hilarious incident. Well, if anything, that blooper only proves that the chemistry viewers see among the hosts on screen is just as real behind the scenes!

After Robi’s stint as a housemate in "Teen Edition Plus," PBB saw his potential and welcomed him as a host. But as they say, there’s always a first time. He recalled how nerve-wracking his first hosting stint was as he was still learning the ropes, but very excited just the same. There were instances when he slipped up and got scolded, like the time he forgot his spiels. Out of panic, he just tossed the segment to his co-host without realizing that he said the wrong name. "It's part of the process. Kailangan mong pagdaanan 'yun, kailangan mong mapagalitan. After that, sobrang kailangan ibigay mo 'yung buong-buo mo," he looked back.

Hosting PBB in the middle of the pandemic and after the ABS-CBN shutdown was also one for the books. None of them expected the show to push through given the situation. Plus, it was a real challenge, from regular swab tests to wearing PPEs and face shields, all while dealing with the constant fear for their health.

Kim had a similar experience to Robi when she panicked internally as the teleprompter malfunctioned during a live episode. Good thing they had Bianca to save the day. “Doon namin nasukat na si Ate [Bianca] is the key to success. Kahit walang prompter, kabisado niya lahat. Siyempre, ibang caliber din si Robi. Pero kami nina Enchong at Melai, na-stun talaga kami," revealed Kim. 

As a former housemate from the first-ever “PBB Teen Edition,” where she emerged as the Big Winner, Kim can only describe the experience as super colorful and full of crazy memories, such as squeezing herself into a tiny cabinet under the sink!

Meanwhile, it’s been 18 years since Bianca joined PBB’s first-ever “Celebrity Edition,” yet she still remembers that exact moment when she was announced as part of the Big 4. "Alalang-alala ko 'yung feeling na pinaapak kami ni Kuya doon sa star, apat kaming star. 'Yun ang favorite moment ko. Kasi ayaw ko naman talagang maging housemate pero napagtagumpayan ko, and I was able to stay until the end," she reminisced.

As for hosting, Bianca has been through all the eras of PBB, so it's impossible for her to pick just one favorite moment. But her favorite part of being Kuya's host is the family she’s found in the Pinoy Big Brother team.

Bahay Ni Kuya is reopening its doors for "Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition," which will premiere on GMA Network this March 9. Catch the episodes weeknights at 10:00 p.m. and on weekends at 6:15 p.m. via GMA Network. Viewers can also watch it online via live streams on Pinoy Big Brother's YouTube page, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and iWantTFC.