Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. Screen grab from ABS-CBN Entertainment's YouTube page
MANILA -- ABS-CBN on Friday welcomed the popular tandem of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla as they make their teleserye comeback via the much-awaited series "2 Good 2 Be True."
"This is it. We are so excited for today. Thank you so much for this beautiful welcome," Bernardo told host Robi Domingo at the event held in the ABS-CBN compound.
"We are very excited... itong isang napakagandang serye sa inyo na alam namin na matagal na matagal niyo na ring inaabangan," Padilla added.
The event was held in celebration of their 10th anniversary as a tandem. The couple was welcomed by ABS-CBN executives led by ABS-CBN COO for Broadcast Cory Vidanes and Star Magic head Lauren Dyogi.
Vidanes thanked Padilla and Bernardo for their unwavering loyalty to the Kapamilya network.
"I would like to congratulate you both because '2 Good 2 Be True' is the first teleserye of ABS-CBN Entertainment and the first Filipino teleserye that will be available on Netflix 72 hours before broadcast. A first. Congratulations, DJ and Kath! Pero siyempre mapapanood niyo po dang '2 Good 2 Be True' in IWantTFC, 48 hours before broadcast. In Kapamilya Online Live, streaming on YouTube and Facebook every night and of course worldwide in TFC. So malapit na malapit na po. Konting tulog na lang," Vidanes said.
"DJ and Kath, maraming salamat. Napanood na po namin ang pilot week, masayang-masaya kami. Thank you for a very entertaining, engaging and feel-good serye. Sobrang naniniwala ako na mag-e-enjoy kayong lahat kagaya ng pag-enjoy nila sa paggawa ng seryeng ito. This is a special gift for all your fans who continue to love and support you through the years. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Thank you to both of you for sharing love and happiness. And for being an inspiration to everybody who loves you.
"So from the bottom of my heart magpapasalamat din ako kasi sobrang ramdam namin ang sinsero niyong pagmamahal. We will forever be grateful for your unwavering loyalty. ...Maraming-maraming salamat na hindi niyo kami pinabayaan at hindi niyo kami iniwan. We will continue to be here for you together. We will continue to serve the Filipino and audience worldwide," Vidanes added.
Bernardo and Padilla, meanwhile, thanked their fans for their support in the past 10 years.
"Nakakatuwa lang at alam mo naman ang foundation ng KathNiel is always love, support. Nakakatuwa 'yan na kumakalat 'yan sa iba't ibang parte ng Asia kaya we are thankful forever," Padilla said.
"We are very excited for them to watch this new teleserye. Parang ito ang regalo namin sa kanila. Ang tagal ng last na ginawa namin ni DJ and with this project sobra lang kaming excited na mapanood ito. And of course sa mga supporters namin dito sa Philippines and ngayon kumakalat sa Asia. Grabe-grabe siguro ang pasasalamat namin kasi over the years hindi namin in-expect ito. Ang grabe, pa-grow lang nang pa-grow ';yung family na ito. So thank you so much. Thank you for patiently waiting. Alam ko ilang taon din sila naghintay but ito na the long wait is over and sana 'yung regalo namin ay magustuhan niyong lahat," Bernardo said.
Bernardo and Padilla were also surprised when some of their top fans attended the grand welcome event.
In the program, the teaser of "2Good2gether: A Special Reunion" was also played. In the special reunion, Bernardo and Padilla have teamed up with filmmakers Cathy Garcia Molina, Mae Cruz-Alviar, and Olivia Lamasan who have been instrumental in their journey as a love team.
Before the end of the grand welcome event, Kapamilya artists such as Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Zanjoe Marudo, Ria Atayde, Dimples Romana, Karylle, Amy Perez, Luis Manzano, Janine Gutierrez, Darren Espanto, Alexa Ilacad and KD Estrada congratulated Bernardo and Padilla for their much-awaited return to primetime TV starting May 16 on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z channel 11 and TV5. For advance episodes the series will be available starting May 13 on Netflix and May 14 on iWantTFC.
"Excited na kami, mas nae-excite kami lalo napi-feel namin. Hindi rin mabubuo itong show na ito if not for the actors din, napakagaling nila. Kailangan nilang abangan ang mga kasama namin dito," Bernardo said.
"Ayaw kong pangunahan kung ano ang dapat nilang abangan. Ang masasabi ko lang '2 Good 2 Be True' ay sakto sa panahon natin ngayon. Sa lahat nang pinagdadaanan pa natin hanggang ngayon, magandang escape rin itong show na ginagawa namin. Magandang magpangiti, maganda lang sa mood, maganda sa pakiramdam, pampag-good vibes bale. Kailangan natin ngayon lahat 'yon at 'yun ang ina-offer ng show at 'yun ang ino-offer namin sa kanila," Padilla added.
The fans of KathNiel also showed their excitement for their idols as "#KathNielGrandWelcome" and "KATHNIEL GOOD2BEBACK" landed on the list of trending topics in the Philippines on Twitter.
The perennial love team were first paired in the 2011 series “Growing Up.” Their tandem clicked that it was immediately followed by “Princess and I” in 2012, “Got to Believe” in 2013, “Pangako Sa’yo” in 2015 and “La Luna Sangre” in 2017.
Aside from these successful television projects, Bernardo and Padilla have also done numerous hit movies such as “Crazy Beautiful You,” “Barcelona: A Love Untold,” “She’s Dating the Gangster” and “The How’s of Us.”