Despite finishing strong as Fourth Big Placers in ‘Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition’, AZ Martinez and River Joseph—dubbed “AzVer” by fans—admitted they were hurt after being voted the “least desirable duo” inside the house.
In their guest appearance on ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda’ on July 24, the pair got candid with the King of Talk about that emotional moment.
“Para sa akin, siyempre masakit,” River shared. “Pero at the same time, I was just thinking to myself na it’s okay kasi ‘yung natirang housemates, hindi ko pa nakaka-duo. Most of my duos already left the house, so they’ve never had an experience with me as a duo, so I also understood where they were coming from.”
AZ, on the other hand, revealed she had already braced herself for the outcome—but that didn’t make it hurt any less.
“When it was announced in front of me, of course, I had a slight hope na sana I’m wrong, sana may pumili rin sa’kin,” she said. “But then, turns out I was right, and River was there for me when I was processing everything.”
River became her anchor during that tough moment. “He told me na, ‘That’s okay if ayaw ka nila maging ka-duo. That’s okay kasi there are other people who would want to.’ So I feel like I really got back up from it because of River,” AZ recalled.
When asked by Boy Abunda why she ultimately chose River over another housemate like Esnyr, AZ’s answer was heartfelt.
“He’s been there for me through everything, like ups and downs, nandu’n talaga siya,” she said. “He’s a safe space of mine, comfort zone. Kaya I wanted him to be as my final duo talaga.”
From underdogs to fan favorites, AZ and River have proven their connection runs deep—one built on quiet strength, emotional support, and undeniable chemistry.
