rnell Ignacio is back to the GMA–7 stable and reunites with the station's big boss Wilma Galvante, the Manila Bulletin gathered.

"Hurting Wilma Galvante was like hurting your mother," Arnell Ignacio told the Bulletin in an interview during the first taping day of his new game show "Now Na!" on QTV 11 held at the program's set in Broadway Centrum in Quezon City .

Arnell admitted he never thought the GMA–7 management will give him another chance after he left the network two years ago for rival ABS–CBN to host "MTB." "I could not believe it at first to the point that I thought it was all play time when Ma'am Wilma texted me last Dec. 14," Arnell revealed.

Galvante asked Arnell if he was in town and if he could see her in her office. Since the comedian knew he offended the GMA big boss, he ignored the text thinking someone might be playing him a trick. He relayed in this interview, "Then she texted again and asked ‘Is this still Arnell's number?' So I replied and said I thought niloloko ako . That's the time when she said, ‘ Gaga! Pumunta ka rito sa opisina ko… pagagalitan lang kita! "

It will be recalled that Arnell left GMA–7 at the peak of "K! The 1 Million Peso Videoke Challenge's" success. Before "K!," Arnell was GMA's signature game show host for "Go Bingo" and co–host for "Katok Mga Misis." "In spite of what happened, binigyan pa rin ako ng trabaho kaya sobrang thankful ako . Ang pinakamabigat na dalahin talaga ng puso ko ay yung hindi ko man lang natawagan si Ma'am Wilma from the time I moved out until I was welcomed back," disclosed Arnell.

He clarified talks that he was the one who begged GMA to take him back and said, "I wouldn't mind begging them. Not for work but for forgiveness lalo na to Ma'am Wilma na ipinaglalagay pa ako kanin sa plato dati at alam kong nasaktan ko talaga ."

When Arnell finally met Galvante face to face, he hugged her immediately then the latter told him, " Mamaya ka na mag drama," and showed him a video. "That was her way na maglambing. May pinapanood siyang video to break the ice. Pero that doesn't mean na nakaligtas na ako, pinagalitan pa rin niya ako, syempre . When she finally told me that she'll give me a show, I was very, very happy."

However, Arnell revealed that ABS–CBN had been almost true to their agreement. "There were written and verbal deals, natupad naman yung mga written pero yung verbal hindi . Initially, I admit sumama ang loob ko pero hindi naman kasi ako nagtatanim . I don't blame them even if nothing was offered to me after ‘MTB' because isa rin lang ako sa dami ng concerns nila and I don't expect myself to be on top of their list. In fact, ABS–CBN's Cory Vidanes had been very apologetic then. I've met a lot of good people there and realized that even if it look's negative on the outside, there's a paradise of talents there. Iba lang talaga ang sistema nila ."

While Arnell was in the sidelight, he busied himself with business. When asked what friend Ai Ai de las Alas—who suffered quite the same fate as Arnell—said about his return to GMA, the comedian relayed, " Sabi lang ni Ai Ai, ‘Sige, dyan ka na bakla!' We've had some serious talks about it in the past and when she would tell me lahat ng sama ng loob at fears niya, hindi ko naman masabi sa kanya na magtinda ka rin ng buhok o ng pizza. After niya magsabi ng sama ng loob merong busog na busog na silence between us."

Arnell just joined Genesis management under Angeli Pangilinan. He told the media that Genesis is as much a blessing as his new show is. "Angeli is the type who would always make positive sense out of your problems," he volunteered.

He summarized the entire experience as a "very humbling one to the point na parang [movie] script na ang lahat . There was a time [when I was down] that I met [columnist] Jojo Gabinete sa Greenhills, namimili siya, ang dami nyang pera ha! Nang magkita kami, sabi niya sa'kin, ‘halika, lilibre kita kasi wala kang trabaho.' And we had a nice talk that made me realize I gained friends because of what happened. Marami na nga akong utang sa press kasi kahit wala akong ginagawa, naisusulat pa rin ako . I don't think I would have seen it that way kung hindi nangyari ang lahat na'to ."

Should Arnell be asked someday to transfer stations again, he just said, " Hahayaan ko na'ng si Angeli, Wilma Galvante, Charo Santos ang mag–usap tungkol dun! Hindi ako kikibo. Mag meeting sila at ako na lang ang mag –sponsor ng lunch nila ," he ended.

 

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