IKINUWENTO ni Martin Nievera na siya ang unang kinontak bago mapasali ang kanyang ex-wife na si Pops Fernandez, bilang isa sa 50 Wall of the World judges ng The World’s Best. Kaya lang, dahil sa napaka-hectic na commitments ni Martin here and abroad, he had to decline the offer due to his prior schedule in the US.

“Actually, I really got it. They made a whole list of people na ‘for sure’ choices. So I went on a FaceTime audition which I’ve never done and they asked me these questions about myself. And (they say) ‘you’re in, this is exactly what we’re looking for’,” kuwento ni Martin.

“So I gave my schedule and it just so happened that every taping of the show, I had a concert in a different city. So I tried to get out of my commitments, it was too late.”Martin then shared how he referred Pops, who was also part of the list, to the some of the people behind the show.

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“So this is what happened. They said: ‘We’re sorry, Martin. We really want you, we’ve already organized your taping days but we can’t meet the days of your show, of your concert. Do you know anyone else that you would like—from you that you think could play that role?’ (Then I said) ‘I have had a co-host for many, many years. And I think she would be very, very good’. ‘What’s her name?’ ‘I said Pops Fernandez’. ‘Wow she’s also on the list. How do you know her?’ So I said: ‘How do I know her? Well, we have two kids’,” he said before he went on to sharing how he told the production team his past relationship with Pops.

Ayon pa kay Martin , the show then offered him to join Pops as one of the 50 Wall of the World global experts.

“They actually said, ‘Can you both do it?’ They want us both to be there as judges. I said, ‘I really, really cannot’. So they spoke to Pops straight and they were able to fix her schedules so that she can be there,” pahayag ni Martin.

“The funny thing is I always wanted that. When I talk about being international, I always wanted that break and was so fixated about that so much so that I actually lost Pops and the kids, because I was so hungry for fame, international fame. And finally here it is and whom do I gave it to? The person I lost. That’s God saying, ‘Ah ganun, here, give it to Pops’,” Martin continued.

Sharing how proud he is of Pops after the US giant television network CBS described Pops as a “music icon”, Martin said: “Lahat tayong mga artista sa Philippines, marami tayong titles. So maganda ‘yon, maganda ‘yung sinabi nilang icon, Philippine icon.”

Pops Fernandez will be one of the 50 Wall of the World global experts in the field of entertainment, joining the show’s three main judges: Drew Barrymore, Faith Hill, and RuPaul Charles.

Samantala, Martin Nievera and Lani Misalucha’s concert is happening on February 14, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Plenary Hall.