It all started in August 1995 when a group of promising young stars all first worked together as an ensemble cast on the teen drama series T.G.I.S. ( Thank God It's Sabado), a youth-oriented program about a typical Pinoy barkada who came from different backgrounds and had to face the challenges of growing up together.
The show was known for churning out some of the country’s most popular love teams during that time which included lead stars Bobby Andrews and Angelu de Leon, Michael Flores and Raven Villanueva, as well as Red Sternberg and Rica Peralejo. Sadly, Red, who was supposed to celebrate his 51st birthday last May 30, passed away on May 27, as announced by his wife Sandy in a Facebook post on her late husband's birthday.
READ: Former TGIS star Red Sternberg passes away at 50
One of the his closest friends in the show was Bobby Andrews, who shared a heartfelt tribute post for Red, along with his favorite photos on the set with him. He wrote, “Red was one of my closest friends in showbiz—we started together, learned the ropes side by side, and stayed close even when he moved abroad. He was the kind of person who could thrive anywhere, adapt to anything, and still stay true to himself. Generous, loyal, and real. I’ll miss his presence, his humor, his heart. Thank you for the friendship brother. Rest easy.”
T.G.I.S director Mark A. Reyes also paid tribute to one of his original cast members who was part of the show’s successful four-year run. He wrote in his Instagram post last May 30, “The entire T.G.I.S Barkada is heart broken to lose one of our own. We just confirmed with Red’s wife @sandysternberg of his passing a few days ago. Their family requests privacy at this time and your kind understanding as they navigate this sudden passing of Red. Kiko we love you and we’re giving you a group hug right now.”
On his Instagram account, Michael Flores shared Red’s throwback post last month which was a group photo of themselves on the set.
Playing the role of “Kiko” in the series, Red’s character was paired with Mitch, which was played by Rica Peralejo in the series. His former love team partner shared a screenshot of one of their scenes together from the show.
Cast member Ciara Sotto also reposted some memorable photos of herself with the T.G.I.S. gang. Ciara was just 15 years old when she joined the show and was paired with Onemig Bondoc.
T.G.I.S ran from August 1995 up to November 1999. Some of its famous alumni also include Anne Curtis, Dingdong Dantes, Sunshine Dizon, Antoinette Taus, Polo Ravales, Onemig Bondoc, Maui Taylor, Jake Roxas, and Aiza Marquez. The series also released T.G.I.S.: The Movie in 1997. This year marks the show's 30th anniversary.