Younghusbands: Hosting tougher than sports

MANILA, Philippines - Beginning today, brothers James and Phil Younghusband, two of Philippine Azkals’ star players, will be seen more often on TV. But this time, televiewers won’t see them running on the football field, kicking ball or scoring goals. James and Phil are going to put everyone in stitches as hosts of the latest TV5 offering titled YH Tube, where they will present a collection of videos of men and women in sports in an unintentional physical comedy arising from incidents and blunders. 

According to Sports5 manager Vitto Lazatin, YH Tube will show a different side of Phil and James who are both serious athletes dedicated to the game of football. “For the last three years, Phil and James have been our ambassadors of football,” begins Vitto. “They’ve been helping us promote the game of football, helping us teach the game and helping the Filipino audience have a better appreciation of the game with their FYI segment (Football Younghusband Instructional aired on AKTV) and after hundreds of instructionals and drills, I believe that really helped us spread the good word about football but we wanted to do something different. I think the brothers wanted to do something different as well so this time we have decided to show a different side of sports and different side of Phil and James. They like a good laugh like everyone else and that will come out on YH Tube.”

The Fil-Brit brothers admit hosting YH Tube is more challenging than getting out on the field to play ball. But no way would they let the chance to pass even if the task requires them to speak mostly in Tagalog.

“I always want to try new, challenging things like talking in Tagalog and at the same time, to be in front of lots of people,” says James. “I really learn so much in the process and I thank TV5 for this opportunity.”

In fact, there will be a segment where James and Phil will try to perfectly deliver a tricky Tagalog phrase.

“That’s why we’re very excited about this project. When we recorded this (the tongue twister), I was pretty nervous but the staff and crew made it easy for me,” shares James. “We had fun at the end. I think the most important is you’re having fun with what you do so I’m looking forward to the future learning more Tagalog.”

For Phil, teaching football the way he and James do at The Younghusband Football Academy is much easier than being confined inside the studio. “(That’s) because it’s something we’ve been doing our whole life and we’re out on the field. This one, we’re in the studio; it’s more (like) testing our brains but this is great and perfect training for us to learn Tagalog.”

Neither of them, Phil adds, are taking up lessons to polish their Tagalog. “We’re just picking up from friends and TV shows.”

But the brothers are trying their best to look after their youngest sister Keri who is left under their care now that they are completely orphaned. Their Filipino mom, Susan Placer-Younghusband, passed away in 2012 due to a heart attack while their British dad died when James and Phil were still teeners.

“She’s getting bigger now,” shares James about her sister. “She’s into the teenage years so it’s a bit stressful but we always try to be positive. Our mom and dad told us that family should come first and we keep that in mind. Whenever we’re together, we’re really happy.”

James relates that Keri puts him to a test through “her boy crushes (laughs) but still, I try to be more responsible for her. She wants to become an actress and a singer.”

Phil, on the other hand, reveals that Keri loves boybands “and I’m learning the songs as well of The Vamps (and proceeds to sing) ‘Cecilia, you’re breaking my heart…’”   

Asked who manages their house, Phil replies, “Ako. James is the eldest but I’m more like a kuya than him (laughs).”

James shakes his head in protest and proudly relates that he often takes Keri to the concerts and cinemas.

Obviously, taking care of their sister is a joy for James and Phil. “She is very obedient and very sweet but as you see we’re both guys so it’s very difficult when taking care about female stuff but we have family friends who are always there to help.”

Phil and James, born 11 months apart, are like twins who know each other so well. The latter reveals that Phil is very ambitious and always gets what he wants.

“What I hate about him is he’s too ambitious that he becomes focused on achieving his goal and tends to forget about other stuff already so I’m the one who has to remind him of everything,” says James.

Phil, too, never runs out of superlatives for his kuya. “He’s very supportive of me and Keri. If I get tumbled in the field, he’s the first person to fight for me and for the other players. He’s always been on my back.”

But he hates James for his mood swings. “When James is angry, it’s best to just let him calm down and be on his own rather than confront him. It’s good to let him be.

“We were born 11 months apart so we’ve always been together like twins so we always help each other to be successful. We are pushing each other to do better,” Phil adds.

Was there an episode of sibling rivalry during their younger years?

“A lot,” says James with a laugh. “I pushed Phil on the floor when we’re playing football because we’re competing for (our) mom and dad’s attention but I think that helped us learn what’s important. We are the best of friends so we are together every day, so we get sick of each other and tend to fight. That helped us become close and helped us get to where we are today.”

The rivalry, Phil quips, is always triggered by questions like, Sino mas pogi? Sino mas magaling sa football? Sino mas romantic? “And we both say, ‘Ako.’ But what’s important is that we don’t show to our youngest sister that we’re fighting or something is wrong. Still, we are very close; competition makes us better.”

(Aside from the sports bloopers from the Philippines and other parts of the world, get to see the other side of the Younghusband brothers on YH Tube, under the production of Sports5, airing Saturdays at 4:30 p.m.)