Boy Abunda on Startalk going off the air: "It's painful. Nasasaktan po ako."

Boy Abunda, a former host of Startalk, expressed his sadness over the fact that GMA-7's talk show has gone off the air after a 20-year run.

The talent manager-talk show host shared his thoughts during the farewell episode of Startalk aired earlier today, September 12.

It will be recalled that Boy (who is now with ABS-CBN) was part of the original lineup of hosts when Startalk aired its pilot episode in 1995.

"I did some of my toughest interviews in Startalk," admitted Boy who left the show after four years.

"Totoo yun. Hindi ko na iisa-isahin, pero ika nga ay doon ako nagsimula, natuto, nahasa. Who I am today is the sum total of everything that I have experienced, at malaking bahagi doon ay Startalk."

He candidly recalled that he started using the phrase "mahiwagang salamin" while hosting Startalk.

"Kinaya natin, sa tulong ng staff na hanggang ngayon ay napakalapit sa aking puso, na gumawa ng matatapang na kuwento na patas, na may puso. Hindi dahil sa sinabihan tayo na dapat matapang ay nambastos na lamang tayo. I think we found a formula."

Through this show, he also forged a strong friendship with Manay Lolit Solis.

"Manay kasi treasures relationships, pero may mga pagkakataon na mahalaga sa kanya talaga ang ano ba talaga ang nanggagaling sa puso mo. At 'yan ay ginagalang niya. Natutunan ko 'yan sa kanya.

"To this very day, that's why we have remained very good friends, dahil sa mga prinsipyong yun."

Even though he is not part of the Kapuso talk show, Boy says he is deeply hurt by the decision to take it off the air. Incidentally, the show celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier today.

"Hindi ko naging trabaho ang Startalk. Ginawa ko po ang palabas na ito at a time when I didn't know what I was doing, tatanggapin ko po yun.

"I was learning the ropes, the tricks of the trade, how to do interviews. Habang ginagawa ko ang Startalk for many years kasama si Dawn [Zulueta], si Osang [Rosanna Roces], si Kris [Aquino], lahat puso po.

"Ang sakit-sakit pong isiping mawawala na ang Startalk. It's painful. Nasasaktan po ako. It's going to take a long, long time before I can even deal with it."