Brent Manalo Calls Out The "Unwarranted Hate" Against Him And Opens Up About His Pinoy Big Brother Journey

Brent Manalo is addressing the criticism he has been receiving online, reminding people that the opportunities he has today did not come overnight. The It's Showtime! host took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts after receiving comments about his performances and how he got to where he is now.

"With all the opportunities being given to me right now, I am truly grateful to the management and everyone who believes in me and my capabilities. But these things were never handed to me, it was years of waiting and [hard work]," he wrote.

Brent became a regular host of the noontime show on June 27. And his recent posts came shortly after his viral banter with fellow host Darren Espanto during the "Miss Q&A Season 4: Reyna Talak-era 2026" segment on September 4.

The exchange started when Brent playfully joked about Darren's dancing skills, saying, "Ang galing niyang sumayaw. Halatang galing siyang The Voice." (Darren competed in the first season of The Voice Kids and placed first runner-up after Lyca Gairanod.) Vice Ganda, who was onstage with them alongside Anne Curtis, joined in on the teasing and encouraged Darren to fire back.

Brent then brought up his own beginnings in showbiz, referencing his time on Pinoy Big Brother. "Ako, subok ako sa hamon ng buhay dahil nanggaling ako sa PBB," he said. Here, Darren quickly responded with, "Parang wala ka naman masyadong ganap doon sa loob ng bahay."

The two eventually moved on from the exchange, with Darren approaching Brent to clarify that it was all just a joke.

But while Brent and Darren appeared to have taken the moment lightly during their hosting stint, the exchange was received differently online, with some people directing criticism toward Brent.

In his X post, Brent asked people to give him the space to do the work he has been given and shared how the constant scrutiny has affected his experience. He said, "Huwag niyo po sanang ipagkait sakin na gawin yung trabahong binibigay sakin. I am simply doing my job. I hope to one day be able to show up to work and not walk on egg shells cause everything I say or do is being watched closely just to fault me for something so minuscule."

At the same time, Brent acknowledged that he still has plenty to learn. He described himself as a "work in progress" and said that he understands why criticism comes with being in the public eye. For him, constructive feedback can be part of growing, but there is a difference between criticism meant to help and comments that simply come from hate.

"But if your sole purpose in life is to throw unwarranted hate at me, pls keep your opinions to yourselves cos it will never be acknowledged by me. Hindi po ako punching bag. Maraming salamat po," he wrote.

ICYDK, before landing his hosting gig, Brent rose to fame as a housemate on Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition, where he eventually won the competition alongside his partner at the time, Mika Salamanca. The two became known as BreKa or MikBrent.

Brent has opened up before about what his PBB journey meant to him. For him, joining the reality show was a chance to finally prove to himself and others what he was capable of.

"Honestly, late bloomer talaga ako sa lahat ng bagay eh. Even during high school, I was always the average student. But then, may nangyari na talagang sumubok sa akin bilang estudyante, na I really had to prove to everyone more than myself na I'm capable of being a top student. So, ayun, naging valedictorian ako dahil dun. Pero hindi naman siya all throughout na lagi akong rank number one. Late game lagi, doon ako nag-bu-bloom lagi kapag kailangan na kailangan talaga," he said.

That same perspective seems to have carried over into how he looks back on his experience. In his recent X posts, Brent acknowledged that his win may have been a controversial one for some viewers, but he remains proud of it.

He wrote, "Regarding my PBB stint—Admittedly, my win was polarizing but it is my journey and i hope to be able to look back at it with pride. I never once took that win for granted. I owe it to all those who fought for me."

Brent and Darren have seemingly moved past their viral exchange and continue working together as co-hosts. And for Brent, it's all part of learning as he finds his footing in his career.