When it comes to his career, Richard Gutierrez is a big risk taker.
Popularly known for his action roles on the small screen (he has played local superhero Captain Barbell; and the legendary masked defender of the poor, Zorro), Gutierrez took a break from his cape crusading projects to host this year's edition of Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Edition.
"I am a big fan of Survivor so this is somewhat of a dream come true for me. I was never known as a TV host, and to do it in Survivor was something that I needed to perk things up a bit in my life," he said.
Gutierrez, who met with a tragic car accident last year where his long-time personal assistant, Nomar Pardo, died, was sued by the victim's wife, Lorraine, for gross negligence.
" It hurt me badly because Nomar is like family to me. I extended all possible manner of assistance, and even promised to support the education of his kids, but our offer was turned down," he said.
This was one of the lowest points in his life, Gutierrez admitted. He was being blamed for the accident and was perceived as not doing enough to help Pardo's family.
"That's why I also took the chance to host Survivor Philippines. Just to take time off from the Philippines, and put things in perspective. It didn't hurt that I was working on something new in my career, so it helped a lot," he said.
His hosting stint on Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Edition has been received very well, pushing the ratings of the programme to the top.
Though the buzz about the case has died down, Gutierrez said: "It doesn't mean we're running away from our responsibilities. We are willing to help. We believe it will just be a matter of time before me, my family and Lorraine come to terms with what happened, and resolve our conflict for the sake of Nomar's two children, aged 3 and 5," Gutierrez said.
Will his success in Survivor Philippines lead to other hosting gigs? Gutierrez said: "This has been a really difficult, but rewarding challenge. I would love to do it again, given the opportunity. It's a different kind of accomplishment, and it would be great to experiment with a different edition of Survivor Philippines next year."
At the rate things are going, his chances of hosting Survivor Philippines are as good as it gets.
