Former Pinoy Big Brother housemate and actor-host Edward Barber has taken a major step in his personal life, revealing that he is officially engaged to his non-showbiz partner, Rikki.
Barber made the surprise announcement during a church gathering, where he shared an emotional update about how his life had changed since his previous visit.
According to videos circulating online, Barber told the audience that he was now in an “awesome relationship” before introducing Rikki as his fiancée.
The former PBB: Lucky 7 housemate then made the engagement official in front of the crowd, saying that he had proposed to her.
“I proposed to her so she’s now my fiancée,” Barber said, according to reports from ABS-CBN, GMA News, PhilSTAR L!fe and other entertainment outlets.
Edward Barber’s surprise relationship reveal
The announcement appeared to catch many fans off guard because Barber had kept his romantic life largely away from the public spotlight.
During the church gathering, he initially described Rikki as his girlfriend before correcting himself and revealing that she was already his fiancée.
He also appeared to connect the development in his personal life with his Christian faith, telling the audience about the changes he had experienced since his previous visit.
Reports said Barber did not disclose the specific circumstances of the proposal or reveal when and where the couple plans to get married.
Who is Edward Barber’s fiancée?
Rikki has been described by multiple reports as Barber’s non-showbiz partner. Unlike the actor-host, she has largely remained outside the entertainment spotlight.
Details about their relationship—including when they began dating and how long they have been together—have not been publicly disclosed in the reports surrounding the engagement.
Barber’s decision to keep the relationship private makes the public announcement even more unexpected for longtime followers of his career.
From PBB housemate to pastor-in-training
The engagement comes during another significant chapter in Barber’s life.
The Filipino-British actor rose to fame after entering Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 in 2016. He eventually finished as the season’s fourth Big Placer and became one half of the highly popular MayWard love team with fellow housemate Maymay Entrata.
Following his PBB stint, Barber built a career in acting and hosting, appearing in projects including Seven Sundays, Loving in Tandem, Fantastica and The One That Ghost Away. He also developed his own podcast, The Painfully Human Podcast.
But in recent years, Barber has increasingly spoken about his Christian faith and his desire to pursue ministry.
In January 2026, he began training for pastoral ministry and was recognized by Favor Church Manila as part of its group of pastors and pastors-in-training.
Barber had previously explained that while he still loves hosting and remains open to showbiz work, he considers ministry a deeper calling in his life.
What happened to MayWard?
Naturally, the engagement announcement has also brought renewed attention to Barber’s former on-screen partnership with Maymay Entrata.
The pair became one of the most recognizable love teams to emerge from PBB: Lucky 7, with fans following their friendship and romantic storyline for years.
However, Barber and Entrata had previously emphasized that they did not want to manufacture a real-life relationship simply to satisfy their supporters. In an earlier interview, the two discussed keeping their relationship genuine rather than creating romance for fan “kilig.”
Their MayWard history remains a memorable chapter in Barber’s showbiz journey—but his latest announcement makes clear that his personal life has moved in a different direction.
Wedding plans remain under wraps
For now, Barber and Rikki have not publicly announced a wedding date, venue or other details about their plans.
What Barber has confirmed is the most important part: he proposed, and Rikki said yes.
The announcement marks another major turning point for the former PBB housemate, whose life has increasingly moved beyond the usual entertainment spotlight—from actor and host to podcast creator, pastor-in-training, and now future husband.
And while fans may still be processing the unexpected reveal, one thing is already certain: Edward Barber’s next chapter is looking very different from the one audiences first knew inside the Pinoy Big Brother house.
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