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Benigno Dungo Perez (born November 27, 1990), popularly known as Ion Perez (Tagalog: [ˈɐjon ˈpɛrɛs]), is a Filipino actor, model, and television host. He is best known as the Kuya Escort in the Miss Q and A segment of It's Showtime.
He is a regular host on ABS-CBN's noontime variety show It's Showtime.
Perez is the 11th of 15 siblings with his father a jeepney driver and his mother a kakanin vendor.[2] According to some of his interviews from the past, he was bullied when he was younger because of his lanky frame. As a response, he motivated himself to get fit and take care of himself.[3][4]
He used to help his parents run a poultry shop inside a wet market. After developing muscles, Perez often went shirtless as a marketing tactic to help draw in customers to his parents' stall.[4][5][failed verification]
Perez works as a model having been featured in the bachelors list of Cosmopolitan Philippines fashion magazine.[6] He also participated in pageants. Perez was among the winners of the 2017 Misters of Filipinas and was the winner of the 2018 Mister Universe Tourism. His victories in pageants led him to more opportunities in his modelling career.[4] He was initially hesitant to join pageants. It took three years of convincing from his manager for him to enter pageants. Last but definitely not the least was the first-ever meeting of the Unkabogable Star Vice Ganda with her now-husband lon Perez in 2017. Well, that's all thanks to "Gigil Kid" Carlo, who was the one to pick lon from the live audiences and let them have little interactions. They even sang "Pusong Bato" together, which really got everyone entertained. It happened during his guesting in an episode of her defunct talk show Gandang Gabi Vice in October 2017, in which Ion was among the audience and Aga was the guest. Around a year later, Ion became part of It's Showtime without her remembering that they'd already met before again. [4]
Perez first joined ABS-CBN's It's Showtime in September 2018 to audition for the "Kuya Escort" role. He secured the role and eventually became a co-host in the show.[4][7][8]
Having been part of It's Showtime for over 5 years, he recently celebrated a milestone by achieving his first win during Magpasikat 2023. He teamed up with Jhong Hilario and Kim Chiu as part of the group called Team JKI.[9] The prize, amounting to 300,000 pesos, was donated to their chosen charity.[10]
In October 2024, he filed his candidacy for councilor in Concepcion, Tarlac under the Nationalist People's Coalition in the 2025 elections.[11]
On October 19, 2021, Perez and Vice Ganda had a commitment ceremony at The Little Vegas Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada USA.[12] In 2018, he first appeared on It's Showtime, when it happened Vice Ganda and Ion revealed that they had gotten engaged in February 2020 and had undergone a non-legal wedding commitment ceremony, its a Same sex-marriage by LGBTQ+ Community. but already previously worked with Vice on the latter’s talk show, Gandang Gabi Vice.[3]
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–2019 | It's Showtime | Himself, Kuya Escort in "Miss Q and A" segment | [13] |
| 2020–present | Himself, co-host | [14] |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Mall, The Merrier | Pose Bastardos Leader "Richard" | [15] | |
| 2020 | Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim | Einstein | [16] | |
| 2021 | Kaka | Levi Sales | First Lead role in a film | [17] |
| 2022 | Partners in Crime | Motorcycle Max | [18] |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5th Rawr Awards | Breakthrough Artist of the Year | It's Showtime | Won | [19][20] |
| 2020 | 5th Push Awards | Push True Love of the Year (Shared with Vice Ganda.) |
Ion Perez | Nominated | [21][22] |
| 2021 | 2nd VP Choice Awards | Promising Male Star of the Year | It's Showtime | Nominated | [23] |
| 2023 | 8th Push Awards | Push Power Couple of 2022 (Shared with Vice Ganda.) |
Ion Perez | Nominated | [24][25] |
| 2024 | 9th Push Awards | Push Power Couple of 2023 (Shared with Vice Ganda.) |
Won | [26] | |
| 9th Rawr Awards | Love Team of the Year (Shared with Vice Ganda.) |
It's Showtime | Pending | [27] |
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