Boy Abunda

Abunda was born Eugenio Romerica Abunda Jr. in Borongan, Samar.^[3]

He attended his primary education at Barok Elementary School for his first grade and Borongan Elementary School for his second to sixth grade. He attended his secondary education at Seminario de Jesus Nazareno.^[4]

He attended his tertiary education at Ateneo de Manila University,^[3] where he took up Business Management. However, he did not finish it because of his father's death. He left Ateneo and worked in odd jobs to support himself.^[5]

He continued his tertiary education at Philippine Women's University and graduated with degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts in 2009,^[6] Master of Arts in Communication Arts in 2011,^[7] and Doctor of Philosophy in Social Development in 2016.^[8]

At the Metropolitan Theater, he worked as a stage actor and eventually as an assistant stage manager. Later, he became the assistant of the theater's administrator Conchita "Tita Conching" Sunico,^[1] who taught him public relations. In a couple of years, he started Backroom, Inc managing singers and actresses and a public relations firm.^[3] He also worked as public relations consultant for GMA Network. It was during Abunda's public relations work in GMA when one of its executives, Bobby Barreiro, suggested that he should try hosting a television show.

Abunda became a host of Show and Tell,^[9] a late night variety talk show with Gretchen Barretto, and Startalk,^[10] an entertainment talk show. He subsequently moved to GMA's competitor ABS-CBN in 1999, where he has hosted the following shows: The Buzz, Private Conversations, Homeboy, Kontrobersyal,^[3] SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon and The Bottomline with Boy Abunda, a talk show interview.^[11] He was dubbed "Asia's King of Talk" after The Bottomline was awarded Best Talk Show at the 16th Asian Television Awards (2011).^[12] He is also a newscaster for entertainment of the late-night news program Bandila. He also worked as a radio commentator for DZAR, during the Angel Radyo era. He is the founder and head of Asian Artists Agency, a talent management agency.^[13]

He also produced an album titled Melodic Conversations.^[14]

After 23 years in ABS-CBN, Abunda broke the speculations as he returned to his home network, GMA, on December 15, 2022, as part of its retrenchment program caused by the ABS-CBN shutdown from the Philippine Congress that junked the new legislative franchise to operate.^[15] He marked his free-to-air television comeback via Fast Talk with Boy Abunda in 2023.^[16] However, GMA Network gave him permission to return to ABS-CBN for hosting the Vilma Santos's 60th anniversary special, Anim na Dekada… Nag iisang Vilma.^[17]

'Bilang'

Abunda, in joint venture with Star Music composed his first single, disco-pop 'Bilang' for Pride Month. He is credited with the lyrics and overall production of the six-soundtrack extended play ‘Say It Clear Say It Loud.’^[18]

Abunda is openly gay and has been in a relationship with partner Elmer "Bong" Quintana since 1983.^[19] Although Abunda is a practicing Catholic Church and Marian devotee,^[20][21] he is a supporter of LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage, expressing disagreement with the Church's stand on homosexuality.^[20] He denounced the 2016 Orlando Nightclub Shooting,^[22] which has been recorded as the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in the United States.

On June 23, 2010, Abunda became a part-time professor at Philippine Women's University, teaching radio and television to Communication Arts students. He currently resides in Quezon City.^{[citation needed]}

Abunda's sister, Maria Fe Abunda, currently serves as a congresswoman for Eastern Samar. She had previously served as the mayor of Borongan.^[23]

In 2014, Abunda was hospitalised due to a liver problem.^[24]

Television and online

More information Year, Title ...

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Source
1993–1995	Movie Magazine	Himself	Host
1994–1995	Show & Tell
1995–1999	Startalk
1999–2015	The Buzz (formerly known as Buzz ng Bayan from 2013–2014)
2001–2022	Private Conversations
2003–2006	Kontrobersyal
2004–2005	Star Circle Quest		Judge
2004–2005	Morning Star		Host
2005–2019	Pinoy Big Brother		Talk show host
2005–2007	Homeboy		Host
2007–2009	Boy & Kris
2008	Volta	Ama	Supporting cast
2008–2022	Inside the Cinema	Himself	Host
2009–2011	SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon		Anchor
2009	Ang Kwento naming Dalawa (Judy Ann-Ryan Love Story)		Host and narrator
2009–2020	The Bottomline with Boy Abunda		Host
2011–2014	Bandila		Ikaw Na! segment anchor / host
2014–2015	Aquino & Abunda Tonight		Host
2015	Your Face Sounds Familiar		Guest Jury
2015–2020	Tonight with Boy Abunda		Host
2016	Born for You		Guest
2017	I Can Do That		Judge
2019–2020	Your Moment
2022	The 2022 Presidential Interviews with Boy Abunda		Host
	The Interviews with the Wives and Children of the 2022 Presidential Candidates with Boy Abunda
	The Interviewer
	Fast Talk+ & Why of the 2022 Senatorial Candidates with Boy Abunda
	Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho		Guest
	Compañero: Remembering Sen. Rene Cayetano		Host
2023–present	All-Out Sundays		Guest	[25]
2023–present	Fast Talk with Boy Abunda		Host	[26]
2023–2026	Cayetano In Action with Boy Abunda			[27]
2023	Anim na Dekada… Nag iisang Vilma
	Family Feud		Contestant (Team Fast Talk)
	Battle of the Judges		Judge	[28]
	The Political Conversations with the Mayors		Host
2024	TiktoClock		Guest
	My Mother, My Story		Host	[29]
2025	The 2025 Senatorial Interviews		Host

Close

Film

More information Year, Title ...

Year	Title	Role
2004	Naglalayag	Himself / Cameo
	Volta	Ama
2008	Scaregiver	Himself
2010	Noy	Himself / Cameo
2012	Boy Pick-Up: The Movie
2018	The Girl in the Orange Dress	Joey Marasigan

Close

• 2014: Make Your Nanay Proud (ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc.)
• 2017: It's Like This (ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc.)
• 2018: Nanay's Gay Boy: Two Speeches (ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc.)

• Celebrity Inductee Winner, Eastwood City Walk Of Fame Philippines in 2010
• 3rd EdukCircle Awards - Most Influential Celebrity Endorser of Year (2013)
• Winner, Best Showbiz Oriented Show Host - PMPC Star Awards for TV
  • Startalk (1995–1999)
  • The Buzz (1999–2008 and 2010) (tied with Paolo Bediones in 2005)
  • SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon (2009)
  • Hall of Fame (2011)
• Winner, Best Public Affairs Program Host - PMPC Star Awards for TV
  • Private Conversations (2004)
  • The Bottomline With Boy Abunda (2010–2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
• Winner, Best Magazine Show Host - PMPC Star Awards for TV
  • Kontrobersyal (2004)
• Winner, Best Celebrity Talk Show Host - PMPC Star Awards for TV
  • Homeboy (2005–2007)
  • Boy and Kris (2008)
• Winner, Best Talk Show Host - UPLB Gandingan Awards
  • Homeboy (2006)
  • Boy and Kris (2007–2008)

• Kim Atienza
• Ai-Ai delas Alas
• Bernardo Arévalo
• Alejandro Giammattei
• Ana Sofía Gómez