StarStruck (Philippine TV series)

StarStruck is a Philippine reality talent competition created by GMA Network. It debuted on October 27, 2003, and has since become one of the most popular shows reality competition programs on Philippine television.

The program seeks to discover new actors (or stars) in the country through a series of nationwide auditions. The Filipino public votes for the outcomes of the later stages through text voting and half of the results are from the judges (more popularly known as council).

StarStruck achieved acclaim and notoriety for introducing the genre of reality television on Philippine primetime as well as jumpstarting the careers of some of the top television and movie personalities in the Philippines such as Mark Herras, Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kurdi, Nadine Samonte, Cristine Reyes, Miguel Tanfelix, Bea Binene, Mike Tan, Ryza Cenon, LJ Reyes, Megan Young, Jackie Rice, Arci Muñoz, Aljur Abrenica, Mart Escudero, Kris Bernal, Paulo Avelino, Sarah Lahbati, Enzo Pineda, Rocco Nacino and Sef Cadayona.

The most recent winners from the sixth season are Migo Adecer, who represented Mandaluyong, and Klea Pineda, who represented Caloocan City, winning in 2015 because of its final episode on December 19.

Format

Across the nation, casting tours are held in different regions, wherein hopeful contestants are screened by preliminary panels to be selected for star quality, acting talent, or humorous potential and human interest. The audition process is long, beginning with thousands of hopefuls showcasing their talents and interviewed by the panelists.

The competition heats-up when the hopefuls are cut down to fourteen young hopefuls and be the official contestants for a respective Season.

During the finals, the finalists were eliminated one by one until three pairs remain. After two weeks, one pair will be eliminated. The remaining four advanced to the final judgment where the winners were proclaimed. In second season, the Wildcard twist was introduced. The wildcard week occurred when there were 6 finalists remained. The eliminated finalists were given a chance to come back in the competition. The week ended resulting to Benj Pacia elimination and CJ Muere replaced Pacia in the competition. During fourth season, the said twist was then again introduced that benefited Mart Escudero and Rich Asuncion who both secured a spot in the final judgment. fourth season and fifth season, on the other hand, had six finalist from season 4 and had five finalists from season 5 who advanced in the grand finals or The Final Judgment.

The Final Judgment will award the finalists' respective titles. There are two ultimate survivors, a male and a female, at the end of every season. The winners are determined through the average of the text and online votes plus the decision of the three members of the StarStruck Council. However, in third season, from the two ultimate survivors, there was an Ultimate Sole Survivor title (won by Marky Cielo) that earned the winner extra prizes. While in fourth season, instead of a final four, the format differentiates by choosing the final six as there was four big winners composed of Ultimate Male & Female Loveteam title (won by Mart Escudero & Kris Bernal), Ultimate Hunk title (won by Aljur Abrenica), and Ultimate Sweetheart title (won by Jewel Mische). In StarStruck: The Worldwide Invasion and StarStruck (Season 6), the Ultimate Male Survivor and Ultimate Female Survivor titles were given once again.

Council And Hosts

The council, (it is considered as the judges) give critiques of the contestants performances depending on the challenges that are being given to the contestants. Since first season, the council had a lot of members including Joey de Leon (actor, singer-songwriter and comedian), Joyce Bernal (multi-awarded directress), Ida Henares (by then GMA Networks Artist Center Head), Louie Ignacio (director), Lorna Tolentino (a Grandslam actress), and the late Douglas Quijano (one of showbiz industry's respected talent manager). There was a new set of council for the fifth season as the show went to a three-year hiatus. The council's members were Lolit Solis (well known talent manager), Floy Quintos (a Palanca awardee) and Iza Calzado (multi-awarded actress). There was a newest set of council for the sixth season as the show went to a five-year hiatus. The council's members were Joey de Leon dubbed as the Entertainment Guru, Regine Velasquez (The Asia's Songbird) and Jennylyn Mercado (StarStruck: Season 1 The first ever Ultimate Female Survivor), now a prime actress, singer and host, also part of the panel. While serving as a host, Dingdong Dantes (The Primetime King) also sits as a council for this season.

For the StarStruck Kids, the members of the council included Christopher de Leon (multi-awarded actor), Janice de Belen (actress) and Aiza Seguerra (a former child star turned musician).

The show has been hosted by Dingdong Dantes from the first season up to the fourth season and sixth season. Nancy Castiglione co-hosted the show from the first season. Jolina Magdangal hosted the Kids version and eventually became Dingdong Dantes' co-host since the second season up to the fourth season. Raymond Gutierrez joined Dingdong Dantes and Jolina Magdangal from the third season until fourth season and was included in the fifth season. And Carla Abellana with Dennis Trillo as the new co-hosts of Raymond Gutierrez for the fifth season. Dingdong Dantes was set to become the host for the fifth season but Dennis Trillo replaced Dingdong Dantes as the latter replaced Richard Gomez to host Family Feud. Megan Young, the first Filipina Miss World, (StarStruck: Season 2 Avenger), served as co-host of Dingdong Dantes from the sixth season.

Season

Grand Finalists

Kids Version

After the phenomenal success of StarStruck, GMA Network was inspired to launch a kiddie version of the show. The first and the last of its kind in the StarStruck franchise, the show is geared towards finding new child wonders. The hosts invited the young contestants aging from age of 5–7 years old to audition for the upcoming StarStruck Kids. Much of the auditions were held at SM Supermalls throughout the Philippines. The show was first aired on March 20, 2004 StarStruck Kids is shown only weekdays having Monday to Thursday will be the tests, having Friday would be the performance and elimination night. The show held its The Final Judgement on June 26, 2004 at the Aliw Theater.

This season of StarStruck Kids was then directed by Lino Cayetano, hosted by Jolina Magdangal The council, which guides the finalists throughout the competition, are composed of Christopher de Leon, Janice de Belen and Aiza Seguerra.

The StarStruck Alumni co-hosted by Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado (StarStruck: Season 1 The Ultimate Survivors). Rainier Castillo and Yasmien Kurdi (StarStruck: Season 1 The Runners-up). Together with Nadine Samonte, Dion Ignacio, Christian Esteban, Katrina Halili, Tyron Perez†, Sheena Halili, Jade Lopez, Anton Dela Paz, Cristine Reyes and Alvin Aragon (StarStruck: Season 1 The Avengers).

The rules for picking the two Ultimate Survivors were the same as the senior version of Starstruck. The seven Male and seven Female, also known as 14K, were picked among hundreds who applied for the contest.

Success In Other Field

Aside from producing well known celebrities, StarStruck also produces aspired beauty queens. Ailyn Luna (StarStruck: Season 2 Avenger), joined Binibining Pilipinas 2007 but unplaced. Rich Asuncion (StarStruck: Season 4 First Princess), joined Binibining Pilipinas 2009 and she was first runner up. Rea Nakpil (StarStruck: Season 3 Avenger), joined Binibining Pilipinas 2013 and she finished as semi-finalist. The most notable alumna is when Megan Young (StarStruck: Season 2 Avenger), made history when she was crowned as Miss World 2013 in Indonesia. Megan Young is the first candidate from the Philippines to win the Miss World crown.^[1] Before Koreen Medina joined (StarStruck: Season 6 Avenger), she also joined Mutya ng Pilipinas 2013 (Miss Intercontinental) other award by Continental Queen of Asia and Oceana and she was third runner up.

Career Highlights

(StarStruck: Season 1 The first ever Ultimate Survivors) Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado, became the most popular Love Team of their generation. Winning various awards as a Love Team, Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado made a big name after the first (and most successful) season. They were paired for various TV shows and movies. Both making big names in the industry. At the present time, Jennylyn Mercado is considered as one of the most successful young female superstars.

Awards and Nominations

StarStruck has been a recipient of various local Best Reality Show Awards as well as Best TV Hosts Awards for its past seasons.

It was also acclaimed internationally. The StarStruck: The Nationwide Invasion third season Final Judgment was awarded nominated and Highly Commended in the 2006 Asian TV Awards. The same StarStruck III: The Final Judgment was also a Finalist for Variety Special Category in the 2007 New York Festival TV Program & Promotion Awards.

In 2007 November 18, Starstruck won again as Best Reality Talent Search Program in the 2007 PMPC Star Awards for TV, while Dingdong Dantes, Jolina Magdangal and Raymond Gutierrez as Best Reality Talent Search Program Hosts Winners.

This 2016 November, sixth season won again as Best Reality Talent Search Program in the 2016 PMPC Star Awards for TV, while Dingdong Dantes and Megan Young, Best Reality Talent Search Program Hosts Winners.

See also

• Protégé
• Are You the Next Big Star?
• Pinoy Idol
• Pinoy Pop Superstar
• List of programs broadcast by GMA Network
• List of shows previously aired by GMA Network

References

External links

• StarStruck
• Stage 1:The Starstruck Playhouse
• StarStruck on IMDb