Gelli De Belen On Sister Janice's Alleged Romance With Gerald Anderson & How Is It Being Replaced In 'Baker King'

GELLI DE BELEN is supposed to play Raymond Bagatsing’s wife in TV5’s hit primetime soap, “Baker King”, but when it’s about to start taping, she and husband Ariel Rivera plus their two sons were supposed to take a trip to visit Ariel’s parents in Canada. How did she feel when Jackielou Blanco replaced her? “Okay lang, it’s not really meant for me,” she says. “Kasi siempre, priority ko naman ang family ko, di ba? And at least, heto, nabigyan ako ng bagong show as host of ‘Happy Truck ng Bayan’.”

We tell her that her Ate Janice is much slimmer now. “Yes, hindi na siya kumakain ng junk food. Ang ganda nga niya, di ba?” How come being overweight has never been a problem with her even if she has given birth to two kids? “I really diet and exercise. Tabain kami kaya I have to be conscious in maintaining my weight.” 

How did she feel when her Ate Janice was linked to Gerald Anderson? “O, di ba? Nakakahaba ng hair niya. May asim pa si sister! Honestly, ni hindi ko binigyang-pansin ang tsismis kasi alam ko namang di totoo. But I really think it’s unfair na naintriga siya ng ganun.”

Janice has been linked with the most handsome guys in the industry, like Gabby Concepcion, Aga Muhlach, Richard Gomez and John Estrada. And now, she’s being linked to a much younger guy since Gerald is 20 years her junior. “Ako naman, I wouldn’t mind kung magkaka-boyfriend nga siya ng younger sa kanya. Basta ang mahalaga, mamahalin at pasasayahin siya at mamahalin ang mga anak niya, and as long as hindi ang kapatid ko pa ang magsusustento sa kanya, go, go, go!”

Gelli turned 42 on May 25. She certainly looks younger than her age and doesn’t at all look like the mom of two teenage sons, Julio and Joaquin. In “Happy Truck ng Bayan”, she’s elated to work with Ogie Alcasid once again. “Nakakatuwa kasi ‘Tropang Trumpo’ days pa, magkasama na kami ni Ogie, then most recently, sa ‘Confessions of a Torpe’. At ngayon, kasama pa namin si Janno Gibbs and all the stars of TV5, kaya happy talaga kami rito. Abangan nyo ang pagbisita ng aming ‘Happy Truck ng Bayan’ sa respective barangays nyo dahil mamimigay talaga kami ng big cash prizes sa games na gagawin namin with you all.”