Pinoy Big Brother is up for another season with its Double Up edition set to begin on October 4. But while former housemates like Sam Milby, Jayson Gainza, Kim Chiu, and Gerald Anderson have made it big in showbiz, Business Unit Head Laurenti Dyogi stressed that PBB is not an “artista” search. “Hindi naman talaga artista search ang PBB. Nagkakataon lang na talagang nakakahanap kami ng mga pumapasok sa bahay ni Kuya na magiging sikat paglabas. Noong season one si Sam at si Jayson ang pinakasikat. Si Zanjoe (Marudo) kahit hindi nanalo napakasikat ngayon. Si Ejay (Falcon) sikat ngayon dahil sa Katorse. I think ang pinakasumikat talaga e sina Sam, Kim, at Gerald.”
Direk Lauren confessed that getting “good-looking” people as housemates is a major consideration for the show. “Plano talaga namin na may ilang papasok sa bahay na may hitsura, whether maging artista sila later on or not. It’s a requirement not just of ABS-CBN but also of Endemol (the Dutch company that owns the Big Brother franchise) in all the Big Brothers around the world na merong may hitsura sa loob ng bahay. Dahil nagpapasok kami ng mga may hitsura kadalasan they would make it in showbiz.”
But Direk Lauren clarified that looks are not the only criteria of the screening process for PBB. He said that what matters most is if a person has an interesting story to tell on television. “Lagi namang based on personality ang pagpili namin. Kukuha ka ng maganda, pogi, kalog, pasaway, dapat iba-iba. Dapat maging maganda ‘yung mix nila kasi hindi naman pwedeng lahat maingay o tahimik. Talent is just a plus pero hindi naman talaga kailangan. Tinitingnan talaga namin ‘yung mga nago-audition kung magiging interesting silang panoorin sa TV.”
The head honcho of PBB also talked about the restructuring of the PBB house interior. A new design was adapted which explains why this season is called Double Up. “The lot is just the same, ‘yung configuration lang ang binabago every season. Nabago ‘yung hitsura ng interior because merong pakulo this season. Siyempre may confession room pa rin, dining, kitchen, bedrooms. The swimming pool will still be there. Medyo mahal ang paggawa ng bahay ngayon. Para kang nagpatayo ng bahay sa Alabang. Ganun kamahal.”
On the night of October 4, housemates from as far as Europe, North America, and neighboring countries in Asia will soon be introduced to audiences. In a VTR shown during the PBB press con, there was a sneak peek of the incoming housemates, like the Romantic Stud ng Samar, Sassy Vamp ng Cebu, Boy Astig ng Mindoro, Inday Kengkay ng Gen San, Richie Rich ng Cebu, Simpatikong Kusinero ng Batangas, Conservative Pharmacist ng Tondo, Struggling Mom ng Davao, and the Young Widow ng Pampanga. Direk Lauren said that they won’t be spending less than 100 days inside the house and they might even have to celebrate Christmas and New Year with Kuya.
