Dennis Trillo said he did not expect to replace Dingdong Dantes as one of the hosts of the fifth season of GMA-7's reality-based artista search, StarStruck.

Dingdong, who was to supposed to co-host StarStruck for the fifth time, was pulled out of the show to replace Richard Gomez in the daily game show Family Feud. Goma already declared his intention to run as a representative in Ormoc City in the 2010 elections, so he had to relinquish the hosting chores to Dingdong momentarily.

Dennis, on the other hand, was chosen by the Kapuso network to take over Dingdong's hosting job in StarStruck V.

"Siyempre, nagulat talaga ako dahil hindi naman talaga ako host. Although nagho-host ako sa SOP, pero co-host lang," Dennis said when asked about his reaction during the media junket prepared for him and the other StarStruck V host, Carla Abellana, yesterday, November 12, at the 17^th floor of GMA Network Center in Quezon City.

The former Adik Sa 'Yo star said he did not hesitate in accepting the offer because he believes that StarStruck V will be a good training ground for his hosting skill.

"Tinanggap ko [agad] kasi sobrang established na ng StarStruck, fifth [season] na 'to, e. And hindi rin naman basta-basta 'yong exposure ng mga host dito. Kumbaga, bukod doon sa mga talent, 'yong host din talaga ang pinapanood kaya magandang exposure. Para sa akin, iniisip ko na maganda rin itong training as a host and may maio-offer naman akong iba," Dennis explained.

As the new host of the talent-search program, the actor is aware that a lot of criticism will be thrown at him, especially since this is his first major hosting job.

"Sa lahat ng mga baguhan, may masasabi at masasabi," said Dennis. "Kaya nasa sa akin 'yon kung papaano ko yun tatanggapin at kung papaano ko paghahandaan para pag ready na akong sumalang, maiisip nila na, 'Uy, puwede rin pala siya.' Kaya ngayon, pinaghahandaan ko nang husto para kahit papaano, hindi naman ako mapahiya." 

He also doesn't mind being compared to Dingdong, who hosted the show from its first season in 2003 until the fourth season in 2006.

For Dennis, "'Yong pagkumpara, hindi talaga maiiwasan talaga 'yan, e, dahil siya 'yong nandoon, ako simula pa lang ako. Hindi talaga maiiwasan 'yon.  Pero siyempre, kailangan sa part ko, kailangang gawin ko rin ang best ko para hindi ako mapahiya sa mga tao, lalung-lalo na kay [Dingdong].

"Siyempre, sobrang nagulat ako dahil ang papalitan ko pa, ang isang napakagaling na host na siya. Sobrang [nakilala] na siya mula StarStruck I hanggang StarStruck IV. Siyempre, gulat ako at kinabahan talaga. Siyempre, I have to start somewhere. Sa palagay ko, ito na ang chance ko para, alam mo 'yon, maipakita na iba na 'to."

Aside from honing his hosting skill, Dennis also thinks that StarStruck will serve as a venue to let the public know more about him.

"Palagay ko makakatulong dahil iba 'yong exposure na ibinibigay ng StarStruck, especially sa mga host. And kapag host ka, kailangan mo talagang mag-reach out, hindi lang sa mga taong nasa studio, kumbaga, pati na rin sa mga nanonood sa bahay nila. So, 'yon ang magiging magandang training para sa akin din."

PREPARATION FOR HIS HOSTING JOB. Like in acting, Dennis takes his newfound career seriously. In fact, he's been doing some preparations to improve his hosting skill.