EAT BULAGA IN CHAOS: “Steve Harvey Moment” STUNS Audience as Female OPM Clones Grand Winner WRONGFULLY Crowned On-Air—Real Winner Cries Backstage as Judges Scramble to Fix Shocking Mistake!

In a jaw-dropping twist that left fans, judges, and even the hosts in complete disbelief, Eat Bulaga’s latest “Female OPM Clones” grand finals turned from a celebration into a full-blown controversy, drawing comparisons to the infamous Steve Harvey Miss Universe mix-up of 2015.

What was supposed to be a joyous moment celebrating musical talent and impersonation excellence quickly devolved into a nightmare of confusion, live TV embarrassment, and emotional breakdowns—all in front of millions of viewers nationwide.

THE GLORIOUS CROWNING… THAT WASN’T

It all started innocently enough during last Saturday’s much-anticipated finale of Eat Bulaga’s Female OPM Clones, a popular impersonation competition where contestants emulate iconic Filipino female singers in both looks and vocals.

After weeks of intense competition, only three finalists remained on stage:

Maricar Delos Santos (as Regine Velasquez)
Jean Lagrada (as Jaya)
Angela Reyes (as Zsa Zsa Padilla)

The studio was electric with tension as hosts Paolo Ballesteros and Ryan Agoncillo held the final result card. Drum rolls echoed through the set. Then came the announcement:

“AND THE GRAND WINNER IS… MARICAR DELOS SANTOS AS REGINE VELASQUEZ!”

Confetti exploded. Maricar broke down in tears. The trophy was handed over. A sash was wrapped around her. The other contestants clapped graciously, albeit stiffly. The studio audience roared.

But behind the scenes, something was terribly wrong.

THE SHOCKING INTERRUPTION

As the cameras panned to Maricar holding her trophy and the hosts congratulating her, a stage director suddenly approached the hosts with panic in his eyes, whispering urgently into Paolo’s ear. Confusion flickered across Paolo’s face. Then Ryan checked his cue card again and froze.

“Wait… wait lang po… we are getting word from production… there’s been… a mistake,” Paolo said live on-air, his voice trembling.

The audience fell silent.

Then, the bombshell:

“We sincerely apologize, but the actual winner—according to the judges’ final scorecards—is JEAN LAGRADA as JAYA.”

Gasps filled the studio. Maricar’s face collapsed in shock. Jean, who had been quietly standing on the side, burst into tears—uncertain whether to smile or break down.

LIVE TV MELTDOWN

What followed was five minutes of total chaos.

Producers and stage crew scrambled across the set trying to fix the error. The wrong trophy was taken back. The correct sash was hurriedly pinned onto Jean. Maricar, visibly humiliated, was escorted offstage in tears.

In an awkward attempt at recovery, Ryan tried to inject humor:

“Parang Miss Universe lang ah. Sorry po, Steve Harvey moment!”

But the damage was done. The internet exploded.

NETIZENS OUTRAGED: “UNFORGIVABLE!”

Social media instantly lit up with reactions:

“Poor Maricar! This is cruel. Eat Bulaga needs to explain this!”
“Steve Harvey 2.0 but in Tagalog! Nakakahiya!”
“What kind of unprofessional production allows this to happen in a grand finals?!”

Within hours, hashtags like #EatBulagaFail, #JusticeForMaricar, and #SteveHarveyPH were trending on X (formerly Twitter), dominating local feeds and sparking heated debates among netizens.

Many fans of the show were quick to criticize the production team, accusing them of gross negligence, while others demanded an on-air apology to both contestants.

EXCLUSIVE: WHAT REALLY HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES?

Insiders from the production crew spoke anonymously to media outlets on Sunday morning, confirming that the error stemmed from a last-minute mix-up in the cue card results handed to the hosts.

“The cue card was printed with the wrong name. It was based on the semi-final scores, not the grand final tally,” one crew member confessed. “Someone in production panicked, and the mistake made it to air.”

Allegedly, the judges had submitted their final scores via tablet, and the tallied results had placed Jean Lagrada (Jaya) slightly ahead of Maricar (Regine) by just 0.4 points. But the host card listed Maricar as the winner due to a technical error in syncing the final votes.

CONTESTANTS SPEAK OUT

Later that evening, both women took to their social media accounts to share their thoughts.

Maricar Delos Santos, in a now-viral Facebook post, wrote:

“I’m still in shock. I never imagined winning… and then losing… in just minutes. I have no hard feelings toward Jean. She deserved it. But I hope Eat Bulaga learns from this.”

Jean Lagrada, the rightful winner, was emotional but gracious:

“It hurts to win this way. I didn’t get my true moment. But I’m grateful. And I hope Maricar continues to shine—she’s incredibly talented.”

EAT BULAGA ISSUES OFFICIAL STATEMENT

By Sunday afternoon, Eat Bulaga’s management issued a formal apology:

“We deeply regret the error that occurred during the announcement of our Female OPM Clones Grand Winner. We take full responsibility for the mistake and are conducting a review to prevent future incidents. We extend our sincerest apologies to both Maricar and Jean for the confusion and emotional distress caused.”

They also confirmed that Maricar will receive a consolation cash prize and a guaranteed performance contract with TAPE Inc., to help make up for the mishap.

PUBLIC DEMANDS TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Despite the apology, critics argue that a simple statement is not enough. Veteran showbiz columnist Cristy Fermin weighed in on her radio program:

“Eat Bulaga has been on air for decades. Mistakes like this should not happen in 2025. Heads should roll in production.”

Others have called for a live, on-air clarification episode, giving both contestants the proper recognition and a chance to reclaim their dignity.

THE BIGGER QUESTION: IS LIVE TV STILL SAFE?

This incident has reignited conversations around the dangers of live television, especially for emotionally vulnerable talent show contestants who invest months of preparation, hope, and effort.

How many more “Steve Harvey moments” must happen before networks implement foolproof verification systems?

THE FINAL WORD

In the end, what was supposed to be a night of joy turned into a cautionary tale for every live competition in the country. Eat Bulaga’s Female OPM Clones grand finals will forever be remembered not for the winner’s performance, but for the historic blunder that left a nation stunned.

One mistake. Two broken hearts. And millions of viewers asking: “How did this even happen?”