Dubbed as the “Teleserye ng Totoong Buhay”, the Pinoy Big Brother house has hosted all sorts of people since its first season in 2005. Different people from all walks of life have told their stories from inside this iconic house. From surviving hardships to turning their lives around, these stories have inspired viewers all over the country.
In celebration of Pride Month, let’s take a look at some notable stories from housemates who shared their colorful experiences as part of the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting not only their bravery and strength but also their heart.
BB Gandanghari – PBB: Celebrity Edition Season 1 (2006)
BB Gandanghari, formerly known as Rustom Padilla, shocked the nation in 2006 as she came out as gay to her fellow housemate and season winner Keanna Reeves on national television. This coming out made headlines because, at that time, she had a celebrated career as an action celebrity and was the ex-husband of actress Carmina Villaroel. In 2009, BB formally announced her transition and came out as a transgender woman, taking on the name BB Gandanghari. Now she lives in the USA pursuing a career in modeling, acting, and directing.
Rica Paras – PBB: Double Up (2009)
Rica is the first openly transgender woman housemate that has ever graced the PBB House. She was known for her vibrant personality and had a strong connection with the season winner, Melai Cantiveros. One of her notable moments inside the house is when she stood up for herself when faced with mocking from the boy housemates inside the house. She’s now a Europe-based IT expert as well as a TV personality and a Trans Right advocate.
Fifth Solomon – PBB: All In (2014)
Fifth Pagotan, famously known as Fifth Solomon, became a housemate in 2014 together with his twin brother Fourth. He came out on national TV as bisexual as a clarification from speculations about his identity. Fifth has made a name for himself as a TV personality after leaving the PBB house and he has recently delved into film making in 2025. He is also a vocal mental health advocate and has been open about his own mental health struggles.
Jesi Corcuera- PBB: Lucky Season 7 (2016)
Jesi became known as the first transgender man inside the PBB house. He entered the house later on and was tasked to keep his real identity hidden to which he succeeded. In 2024, he made headlines when he announced his pregnancy, and he chose to carry the child himself. He stated that he made this choice because he wanted someone to call his own. He now lives his life as a devoted father and partner.
Jerome Alacre - PBB: Lucky Season 7 (2016)
Jerome is one of the later additions to the Lucky 7 season. He is known for his love for his family. One of his most notable moments inside the house is his coming out story and his struggles about coming out to his family. He now works in the medical industry as an adult-geriatric nurse practitioner in California.
Mitch Talao – PBB: Otso (2018)
Mitch was the second openly trans woman to have entered the house. Her then partner Dudz was invited inside the house to propose with the help of the boy housemates. Their historic wedding inside the Big Brother house was well-known for being the first real-life LGBT wedding to be aired on national television. She now lives a quiet life together with her 2 children.
Justin Dizon - PBB: Connect (2020)
Known for his blunt and feisty personality, Justin became a household name despite his short stay inside the house. He expressed that his outspokenness and assertive nature stemmed from the fear of being belittled and trampled for his identity. He revealed that announcing his identity in his audition video is his way of owning his truth. After being a housemate, Justin continues to have a strong social media presence and still uses his outspoken personality to speak on societal issues.
Brenda Mage - PBB: Kumunity Season 10 (2021)
Known for being an online personality and a comedian, Brenda has brought joy as well as a bit of controversy inside the Big Brother house. Before entering the house, Brenda became a household name after joining It’s Showtime’s Miss Q and A season 2, where he made it to the top 6. Shortly after that, Brenda’s life story was also featured in MMK in 2019. Upon her entry as a housemate, Brenda was initially liked by his fellow housemates because of his wit and comedic talent, but he later on found himself in quite a few controversies. Brenda eventually placed 5th by the season’s finale, and now he continues her career as a content creator and vlogger.
Brx Ruiz - PBB: Gen 11
For years, we’ve witnessed as housemates discover more about themselves, and for Brx, it’s no different. He expressed that being a housemate gave him the strength to come out and be true to himself. He expressed that one of his reasons for joining the reality show was to better understand who he is as a person. He also stated to Kuya that he’s been in a loving relationship with his partner for 10 years and that his family accepts him for who he is. After PBB, Brx continued living his life, traveling to different countries as a seaman and a cook.
Dingdong Bahan & Patrick Ramirez (DongPat) – PBB: Gen 11
Content creators Dingdong and Patrick entered the house as a 2-in-1 housemate, and they were tasked to not reveal their relationship to the other housemates. They made a name for themselves for being the first same-sex couple to enter the house together. After their PBB stint, they both continued their content creation, and they played supporting roles in the series What Lies Beneath. In April of this year, Patrick officially announced that he and Dingdong are no longer together.
Klarisse de Guzman – PBB: Collab Season 1
Another coming-out story that shocked the nation was when Klarisse revealed that she is bisexual. The renowned Kapamilya singer made the heartfelt confession on national TV during their special sharing task facilitated by Michelle Dee, who is also a known LGBTQ+ ally and a bisexual herself. She then also revealed that she has been in a happy relationship with her partner Trina for four years. Since then, she has been very vocal about how freeing it is to finally be who you are and how love will always win. Klarisse had already made a name for herself as a singer after placing as the first runner-up in The Voice Philippines in 2013. After her PBB stint, she became a judge and mentor in the fourth season of Your Face Sounds Familiar. She is also a regular mainstay in ASAP and plays the role of Monette in the hit series The Secrets of Hotel 88.
Esnyr Ranollo – PBB: Collab Season 1
Viral content creator Esnyr is another colorful addition to the PBB Collab roster. Before entering the house, he made a name for himself on TikTok with his witty skits and comedic content. He bought that wit and talent for comedy inside Kuya’s house, which made him one of the most beloved housemates for that season. He and his duo, Charlie Fleming, were the 3rd big placers of the season, and after their PBB stint, Esnyr has appeared in a supporting role in the MMFF movie Call Me Mother, and he also plays a part of Raphie in the collaboration series The Secrets of Hotel 88. Just recently, Esnyr also premiered his new high school series First Day High, which instantly became a hit.