“EAT Bulaga” hosts Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza were among those who were very excited to move to the show’s new studio.
From an old movie theater-turned-TV studio at the Broadway Centrum in Quezon City—its “rented apartment” for 23 years, the country’s longest running noontime show moved to its own home—a brand new studio in Cainta, Rizal—last Dec. 8.
Alden and Maine, however, admitted to feeling nostalgic as they bade farewell to the Broadway Centrum where their on-screen team-up began.
“Maraming memories din namin ni Maine ang nabuo noong mga panahong nasa Broadway Centrum pa kami, kasi doon naman talaga nag-umpisa ang lahat. In fact, doon sobrang nabago ang buhay namin pareho,” Alden said.
Alden and Maine’s love team called “AlDub,” a portmanteau of “Alden” and “Yaya Dub” (Maine’s character in a segment called Kalyeserye), was an accidental discovery of “Eat Bulaga.”
It became such a huge hit that a special episode dedicated to their elusive meet-up was staged at the Philippine Arena. It was
attended by more than 50,000 fans, breaking all previous records of the gigantic venue.
“Ngayon po na ‘eto meron na kaming sariling tahanan, siguradong ito ay umpisa ng panibagong memories na naman; marami na naman kaming pagsasamahan dito. So ako very excited ako sa mga susunod na mangyayari dito simula ngayong araw,” said Maine.
In “Eat Bulaga,” a celebration is incomplete without giving back. As its housewarming treat, it gave away a brand new house and lot complete with furniture to a dabarkads from Tanza, Cavite and grocery packs to all of its studio audience who were lucky enough to book a seat for the special “Lipat Bahay” episode (the studio was fully booked days before its launch).
“Ito na ang umpisa ng ‘EB version 4.0.’ Ang studio na ito ay para sa mga susunod na henerasyon ng mga dabarkads,” declared host Vic Sotto at the start of the episode, a warm gesture of welcoming a new beginning for Eat Bulaga.
“More than just a house, it is a home—a home that is not just for our dabarkads in the past or at present but more importantly for the dabarkads in the future,” said Tuviera. “Sabi nga ni Joey (de Leon), maski grumadweyt na kami, nandito pa rin ang ‘Eat Bulaga.”
“Ang aming studio ay bukas para sa bawat Pilipino na gustong makatikim ng ‘isang libo’t isang tuwa’ na hatid ng ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Kami’y nagpapasalamat sa inyong walang-sawang pagsuporta sa amin sa loob ng halos 40 taon. At hangga’t naririyan kayo, magpapatuloy ang ‘Eat Bulaga,’” De Leon assured.