As a brand-new season of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) approaches and clips of the show’s new house circulate online, netizens have started reminiscing about the early days of reality TV—specifically when Big Brother’s iconic house was first introduced to the public.
Photo: Korek Ka John/Facebook
The nostalgia trip kicked off after an X (formerly Twitter) user claimed that an initial 24-hour house trial involving guest celebrities—including comedian-actor John “Sweet” Lapus—was conducted prior to the official airing of PBB Season 1. It didn’t take long for Sweet himself to confirm the claim.
“Ah yes! Bago mag-start ang first season ng PBB, nag-trial ng 24 hours with celebs. Ako ang nanalo!” Sweet replied to a fan on X.
Following his confirmation, fans quickly jumped to a playful conclusion, declaring that Sweet is technically PBB’s first-ever “Big Winner.”
ah yes! bago nag start ang first season ng pbb nag trial ng 24 hours with celebs. Ako nanalo! 😍
— John Lapus (@KorekKaJohn) October 11, 2026
“So that means technically, ikaw ang first-ever Big Winner,” a fan replied to Sweet’s post.
“Haha naman!” Sweet quipped.
When asked what prize he took home for bagging the title of trial “Big Winner,” the 53-year-old actor shared that he and the rest of the celebrity guests only received their standard talent fees.
“Wala. Talent fee lang for all of us. Sapat na sa akin na ako ang nanalo,” Sweet explained.
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Intrigued by the revelation, a fan asked the comedian to vlog about his experience as one of the very first people to step foot inside the legendary house.
However, Sweet turned down the request, noting that the trial happened 21 years ago and that the only fellow housemates he could vividly recall sharing the experience with were actors Ricky Davao and Giselle Sanchez.
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Today, the original PBB house that Sweet entered back in 2005 at Eugenio Lopez Drive in South Triangle, Quezon City, is no longer standing. The landmark location was completely closed and demolished, paving the way for a brand-new era of the reality show and an upcoming house with a location yet to be disclosed.
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