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Lella Ford joined "Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0" with something to prove. While she came from a well-known family, she made it clear from the start that she wanted to carve her own lane and show who she is beyond being just the daughter of Karla Estrada and sister of Daniel Padilla.
After more than a hundred days inside the "PBB" house, her mission to define herself has turned into one of the most beautiful arcs in the reality show. Not only did she own her story, she also won many hearts along the way and eventually locked her place in the Ultimate 8.
Now that Lella has officially secured a spot in the Big Night, it feels only fitting to rewind the journey that saw her blossom into her own light.
Facing the Fear of Falling Behind
OG "PBB" fans probably remember that tiny version of Lella who once entered the house back in 2015 to pick up her mom, Karla, who was a guest at the time. A decade later, she went back as an official housemate.
In the October 28 episode, the 'Blooming Bunso ng Tacloban' got real about wanting to join "PBB Collab 2.0" as her first move toward stepping out of her comfort zone and getting to know herself better as she admittedly feels a little lost sometimes, especially with the pressure and expectations tied to her family’s public life.
Adding to her self-doubt and overthinking was watching her sister, Magui Ford, earn a diploma abroad, which Lella had always wanted for herself, too. In fact, during the housemates’ sharing session when they received scrolls indicating their “multos” in life, Lella’s scroll bore the words “mag-aral abroad.”
All of this made her question what she truly wanted for herself, especially when it felt like she was the only one in the family being left behind. Lella admitted that she had grown too comfortable with the good life, too focused on the easy parts over the harder work of chasing her own ambitions. “Masyado akong naging kampante,” she said. “And now I really want to reach my full potential kasi alam kong meron din akong maibubuga. Gusto ko rin makilala. I want to make a name for myself. Ayaw ko na nasa shadow na lang ako palagi ng family ko.”
And she saw “PBB Collab 2.0” as the first step toward accomplishments that would finally bear her own imprint.
Rough Start as the Top Violator
But resetting her life was far from easy, as she went through several tests inside the Bahay ni Kuya, which, in many ways, polished her character.
A month after the house opened, the housemates were punished for violating Big Brother's rules, with Lella having the most transgressions among them. But the silver lining was that the punishment helped redirect her mindset and led her to confront her mistakes with sincere remorse.
Talking to Kuya in the confession room, Lella turned emotional as she poured out the disappointment she felt in herself for ending up in a situation she never wanted to be in and for possibly letting her family down. Lella knew people see her as the bubbly gal, but she admitted it was just her way of hiding her vulnerability, even from her own family. It was actually her first time crying that much in front of other people, which seemed to surprise Big Brother, who in turn, assured her that he's never judged a housemate solely based on their mistakes.
Codename Chaos
When Lella was dragged into the hullabaloo involving the use of codenames, a major offense since secret conversations are a big no-no under Kuya’s rule book, it was admirable how she handled the mess with maturity and straightforward honesty.
Responding to Criticism
When Big Brother allowed the housemates to listen to what the outside world had to say about them, Lella opted to brave the noise, believing it would help her become a better version of herself.
Among the harshest comments she received labeled her a "nepo baby" with "inherited fans." But she just laughed it off, saying she's been getting such remarks even before entering "PBB" and that she won't let that kind of judgment live in her head.
And instead of letting those negative words erase the progress she had made, it only reminded her of the very reason she entered the house in the first place. "Hindi po ako umaasa sa mom ko o sa kuya ko," she maintained, "I'm so grateful for them kasi sila 'yung naging inspiration ko pero I am trying to make a name for myself."
The “Pinakamabuti” Redemption
Little by little, Lella redeemed herself and genuinely showed her character as a dependable housemate. Proof of this was when her co-housemates voted her as one of the “pinakamabuti” inside the house, which was rewarded with the chance to receive the “gift of immunity” for the fourth nomination.
Lella didn’t expect it, considering that she previously had the most violations. But instead of dwelling on her record, she chose to see the votes as a reflection of how she was raised, crediting her mom Karla for the goodness that others saw in her.
And even though she did not end up receiving the gift of immunity, simply being recognized for her good heart was already a meaningful victory for Lella.
Winning the Big Ticket
In the days that followed, the housemates’ perception of Lella did not change. She has been consistently voted as one of the kindest and "nagpapakatotoo" (genuine) housemates inside the house. During the selection of one Kapamilya and one Kapuso housemate deserving to receive a Big Ticket to the Big Jump, Lella garnered the highest number of votes in the Kapamilya bracket.
Those who voted for her were Ashley Sarmiento, Miguel Vergara, Heath Jornales, Joaquin Arce—and she herself showing that she had finally learned to recognize her own worth and stand up for her capabilities.
First Kapamilya Ultimate 8 Member
In Lella’s attempt at the first Big Jump challenge, she proved her determination and strategic thinking as she won the task against her good friend Joaquin, earning her place in Kuya’s Ultimate 8 and officially locking in her spot for the upcoming Big Night.
In the challenge, the housemates had to transfer blocks using a stick while walking across narrow lanes marked with positive and negative points. Lella finished with -212 points, compared to Joaquin's -336.
"Kuya ngayon, bilang part po ng Ultimate 8, gusto ko lang po talaga Kuya maka-inspire ng mas maraming kabataan na katulad ko at kabataan na nangangarap, Kuya," said Lella, who also warmed the viewers' hearts with how she continued to support Joaquin despite being rivals in the task. It showed her maturity and her understanding of healthy competition—one of the defining traits of a potential Big Winner.
Throughout her entire stay in the house, Lella has also never been nominated for eviction.
Is Lella your Kapamilya Big Winner? Show her your love and support as the Big Night approaches on February 28.
Catch the remaining episodes of "PBB Collab 2.0," available online via livestream on the PBB YouTube Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and iWant.