Showbiz Headlines of 2008

It looks like there’s no reconciliation in sight for Doctors Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho, at least in the foreseeable future. Dr. Belo dumped her 28-year-old “colleague” after she discovered he had an affair with Belo celebrity endorser Katrina Halili. Dr. Kho was first to admit the indiscretion, after news leaked that he was so heartbroken he tried to kill himself. Later the actress confirmed her dalliance with Dr. Kho but said it was a big mistake. A radio showbiz wag said Dr. Kho has been earnestly trying to win back Dr. Belo, but every time she feels like softening up, all she does is boot up her laptop and view the supposed sex video of her ex-beau and ex-endorser and her blood boils again. No one is more relieved that there’s no reconciliation than Dr. Belo’s daughter, Crystalle. “Thank God,” she said.

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The “love triangle” of Marian Rivera, Karylle and Dingdong Dantes played out for several weeks like one of their primetime telenovelas. Karylle put the exclamation point to the issue with her Cheshire cat grin when asked by Boy Abunda if she thought Marian was pregnant. That didn’t sit well with Marian, who tearfully rebuked Karylle on TV for not giving a direct answer. The two female stars may have buried the hatchet, but now it’s Karylle fans who are on the warpath. They claim that Marian is really the reason why Dingdong and Karylle broke up and why Karylle moved over from GMA-7 to ABS-CBN. They cite as proof that in 2007 Dingdong had spent Christmas with Karylle. Last Christmas he went to mass with Marian.

Other celebrity break-ups that made a big splash were that of Sam Milby and Anne Curtis, Jericho Rosales and Heart Evangelista, and Dennis Trillo and Cristine Reyes.

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There was a rash of showbiz pregnancies and births in 2008. Vina Morales proudly announced she was with child in the middle of the year and her tummy grew bigger as she continued to appear on ASAP. Vina hasn’t identified the would-be father by name, but she didn’t deny either that it was a businessman who’s very much married to someone else. Also on the family way are Jaya, Dawn Zulueta, Mylene Dizon, Nancy Castiglione and Angelika dela Cruz.

Jennylyn Mercado gave birth to baby boy AJ Mercado, but she refuses to let the father Patrick Garcia take even a peek at the child. Alicia Mayer also gave birth but her lips are sealed as far as the father is concerned. Other new mothers are Sheree and Aubrey Miles.

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Deaths also brought grief and mourning to the showbiz community. Action star Rudy Fernandez passed away in June after a long bout with cancer. Young actor Marky Cielo died under mysterious circumstances although his mother claims it was a suicide. Controversy also shrouded the burial of Marky in Banaue after the two giant rival networks bickered over coverage rights. Didith Reyes, the sultry singer and actress of the 1970s, dies in her sleep in a friend’s house. Also shuffling off their mortal coil were longtime radio icon Dely Magpayo, comedian Zorayda Sanchez and Director Gilbert Perez.

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Gabby Concepcion returned to the country after hibernating for 13 years in the US, hoping to restart his movie career. But he quickly got stuck in a web of intrigue which resulted from differences over his contract with Rose Flaminiano. Also caught in the web were Nadia Montenegro and showbiz writer Cristy Fermin. Things also began to sour for GMA-7 scrapped a project it was putting together for Gabby. Eventually he signed with ABS-CBN.