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MANILA, Philippines – Network transfers are no longer new in the Philippine showbiz industry. Every year, we see our fair share of celebrities switching alliances as part of their career growth.
As usual, in 2021, fans witnessed several prime and homegrown artists jumping from one network to another. Let’s take a look at which stars signed with new agencies and the projects they’re doing in 2022:
Janine Gutierrez
Janine opened 2021 with a big career move as she transferred to ABS-CBN on January 15, after being a GMA talent for nine years. Janine was the first actress to transfer to ABS-CBN after the broadcast giant’s franchise renewal was rejected in 2020.
Reports of Janine joining ABS-CBN started circulating around late December 2020 when her contract with GMA expired in November of that year. Prior to the announcement, she was also spotted having dinner with executives from Dreamscape Entertainment, a production unit under ABS-CBN, and actor Paulo Avelino. Paulo and Janine have the same manager.
She currently stars in the primetime series Marry Me, Marry You alongside Paulo.
Janine is also reportedly teaming up with fellow Kapuso-turned-Kapamilya Lovi Poe in an iWantTFC series titled Sleep With Me. The project is set to premiere around 2022, but further details have yet to be announced.
Sunshine Dizon
Sunshine is another long-time GMA artist who moved to ABS-CBN in 2021.
In April 30, Sunshine’s transfer was confirmed when she appeared in the teaser of Marry Me, Marry You, starring Janine Gutierrez and Paulo Avelino. During a press conference, the actress said that her transfer to ABS-CBN meant “a new season in my life, a new chapter in my career.”
Sunshine stayed with GMA-7 for 25 years and performed iconic roles in television series such as Encantadia, Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin, Kung Mawawala Ka, and Ika-6 na Utos.
Aside from Marry Me, Marry You, Sunshine is also part of ABS-CBN’s collaborative series with iQiyi titled Saying Goodbye, which stars Seth Fedelin and Andrea Brillantes.
Beauty Gonzalez
Beauty joined GMA on June 11. “Very thankful ako kasi (I’m very thankful because) I can continue what I love to do – acting and making people happy,” she said regarding her transfer.
Her first project under GMA was the mini-series Loving Miss Bridgette wth Kelvin Miranda. The actress said that she is also hoping to do sitcoms under her new network.
Beauty entered showbiz as part of ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition Plus in 2008, where she won as 4th grand placer. She is best known for her roles as Teri Laurel in Pusong Ligaw and Romina Mondragon in Kadenang Ginto.
Pokwang
Pokwang signed her exclusive contract with GMA on June 18.
She was previously a talent of ABS-CBN, her home network for 15 years. Pokwang lost her contract in 2020, following the rejection of ABS-CBN’s franchise application in July of that year.
The actress-comedian then spent most of 2020 doing shows for TV5 like Chika Besh and Fill In The Blanks.
Now a talent of GMA, Pokwang was announced as part of the series Pepito Manaloto: Unang Kwento and variety show All-Out Sundays.
Bea Alonzo
Perhaps one of the most surprising network transfers of 2021 was Bea moving to GMA, although rumors of her transfer had started circulating around late 2020.
Bea was an ABS-CBN star for almost two decades until October 2020, when she decided to not renew her contract with Star Magic, ABS-CBN’s talent management arm, her agency of 19 years. Bea has since been under the management of Shirley Kuan.
In December 2020, Bea was reported to be teaming up with Alden Richards for a Philippine adaptation of the 2004 South Korean movie A Moment to Remember, further emphasizing the rumors of her pending transfer to GMA.
On July 1, GMA officially welcomed Bea as their newest Kapuso artist. “I felt like it was the right thing to do and it came at the right time. And it felt good,” she said of her transfer during a media conference.
Aside from her movie with Alden, Bea is also set to do a teleserye under GMA. Details about the project have yet to be announced.
Xian Lim
Xian made the move to GMA on August 28. “I feel really happy and very excited na nandito ako (that I’m here),” he said.
Xian, who is managed by VIVA Artists Agency, was previously with ABS-CBN, where he most recently starred in the teleserye Love Thy Woman, which ran from February to September 2020.
As a GMA talent, he is set to star alongside Jennylyn Mercado in the series Love, Die, Repeat. The two have started taping for the series, which was originally set to premiere in early 2022, before the show was postponed following Jennylyn’s pregnancy. GMA has reported that the project will continue after Jennylyn gives birth.
Aside from doing teleseryes under GMA, Xian shared that he is also looking forward to more hosting projects under his new network.
Lovi Poe
Lovi joined ABS-CBN on September 16, after being with GMA for 15 years.
“To grow as an artist, I don’t think you’re supposed to box [yourself in] or keep yourself like just doing the same [things] or working with the same people over and over again,” the actress said regarding her decision to make the move.
While she’s hopeful for her new start in ABS-CBN, Lovi emphasized that she’s still “very much grateful” to GMA. “They took care of me, they’ve been good to me. I have nothing but good words and respect for them,” she added. Over the years, Lovi starred in numerous GMA television series such as Legacy, Yesterday’s Bride, Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real, and I Can See You.
Lovi’s first project under ABS-CBN is the Filipino adaptation for the South Korean series Flower of Evil. She stars alongside Piolo Pascual. Production has started, with ABS-CBN releasing photos from their look-test and teasers, though a final release date has yet to be announced. (READ: What you need to know about the K-Drama Flower of Evil)
Aside from her ABS-CBN projects, Lovi is also set to star in the Hollywood film The Chelsea Cowboy with Alex Pettyfer and Poppy Delevingne.
Piolo Pascual
Piolo made his return to ABS-CBN on September 16.
Prior to that, Piolo left ABS-CBN’s Sunday variety show ASAP Natin ‘To to host TV5’s Sunday Noontime Live, following the network going off-air in 2020. However, the actor had reiterated that despite doing a project under a different network, he was still a “Kapamilya forever.”
Questions on whether he remains with Star Magic, which has managed his career for 24 years, have circulated since then. In September, he inked an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN.
“It feels good to be home. I never left anyway, so I’m just really happy and grateful for the moment to be back,” he said during the contract signing.
Piolo is set to star with Lovi Poe in Flower of Evil.
John Lloyd Cruz
John Lloyd makes his highly-anticipated showbiz return in 2021 after a four-year hiatus.
In May, he signed with Maja Salvador’s talent management agency, Crown Artist Management (CAM) – his first major career move after he took an “indefinite leave of absence” from showbiz in October 2017.
Prior to his break, John Lloyd was part of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic. He starred in numerous hit ABS-CBN shows including Tabing Ilog, It Might Be You, Maging Sino Ka Man, and Imortal, and blockbuster movies One More Chance and A Very Special Love.
In November 9, GMA announced that the actor has joined their network. His first project as a Kapuso is the sitcom Happy ToGetHer, which also stars Edgar Mortiz, Janus Del Prado, and Miles Ocampo.
Which of these network transfers were you most shocked by? – Rappler.com
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