Maine Mendoza asks fans to move on from issue with Alden Richards
Maine Mendoza has urged fans to stop criticizing Alden Richards following her recent admission that she once had feelings for him. She also asked everyone to move on from the issue.
The television personality used X to clarify a controversial part of the “Tamang Panahon” podcast, which aired last Aug. 17.
"From the start, I hoped the clashes between fans on both sides would end, at least, even though the hate train aimed at me was nonstop then and apparently still remains so," she wrote, referring to her fans and Richards'.
According to Mendoza, the podcast with her fellow Eat Bulaga! co-hosts aim to offer an exclusive look at their lives. She said they share their "untold" stories in the show, including personal experiences and sentiments, to give the audience a fresh perspective.
"I believe it’s acceptable to reflect and openly discuss them for this podcast, especially now that it’s been a decade and all is well between the individuals involved, particularly me and Alden," she continued, noting that Richards was "a big part of Kalyserye" and that "it would have felt strange to leave him out."
"That said, there was no intention to provoke criticism or negativity towards him or anyone else. I was asked, I answered, and I shared a short anecdote," Mendoza said.
The host believes that she doesn't see anything wrong with sharing a story related to the topic, as long as it’s based on facts. She added that "there was no malice or ill intent" behind what she shared and that there are more stories she has chosen not to share.
"You know how podcasts work; they can be really personal, but ours didn’t even go that far. All stories shared were surface-level," Mendoza explained. "But the biggest question will always be: why do we get criticized for saying our truth and the truth? And why is it when we do, some people resort to personal attacks meant to demean and harm."
Okay, so about the last podcast episode.. Una sa lahat, I didn’t think the part about my story with Alden would spark controversy, let alone be a big deal, considering that everyone had already moved on from Kalyeserye and AlDub. From the start, I hoped the clashes between fans…
— Maine Mendoza (@mainedcm) August 19, 2025
Mendoza continued, "I get that we have supporters who aren’t really fans of the other, but why the hostility? Why pit a woman against a man, as if there’s a competition for who’s more 'successful'? Success, in this sense, is ridiculously measured and defined by career 'achievements' as if our lives revolve solely around our jobs. In the grand scheme of things, what is really there to prove? All the hatred and comparisons—what for, really?"
Mendoza said there are no hard feelings among the hosts of Eat Bulaga!
"We’ve all moved on, and the past remains there. We can revisit and reflect on the good and the bad with a peaceful heart," she shared.
"Ten years on, we are all living the lives we chose, and I hope we can keep moving forward without nurturing hate—because what’s the point? What do we gain from hostility? Again, in the grand scheme of things, what truly needs proving? Find your own answer. Let’s live for what makes us happy and make life less complicated and chaotic," Mendoza said.
"Life is short. When our time comes and memories flash before our eyes, don’t let yours be filled the moments you spewed negativity online. Don’t let it be your only contribution in this life. Ang dami pang pwedeng gawin sa buhay bukod sa pagiging tambay sa internet at pagiging hater. There’s another world of better things to do. Leave a better trace," she continued.
In another post, she called for the public to stop hating on Richards.
"Regardless of what he meant by his words, it was really for the best for both of us and our situation at that time. Don’t read much into it," she wrote.
This was after the Aug. 17 episode went viral. A social media user asked whether she and Richards loved each other more than friends. They also asked whether Richards had courted Mendoza and if he had been rejected.
Mendoza admitted she fell in love with Richards in the past and said she had always been open about her feelings.
According to her, Richards was aware of her feelings but chose not to respond, telling her that speaking about it would break the magic.
AlDub rose to fame in 2015 in the miniseries of the noontime variety show Eat Bulaga! called Kalyeserye. Their love team became a cultural phenomenon, capturing the attention of legions of fans and topping social media trends.
It ended in mid-2018 when Mendoza and Richards each pursued solo projects.
Later on, Mendoza began dating Arjo Atayde. They got married in 2023.
Richards, now 33, has yet to "hard launch" a relationship with anyone, though he had expressed hope of finding his soulmate and getting married by 35.
