GMA 7′s Extra Challenge decided to do something different by casting ordinary people, not necessarily physically fit, for its backbreaking challenges. The concept: “Get Me”, where twelve male challengers would try to win the heart of a celebrity female challenger. There would be three female celebrities, each having the power to eliminate one male (thus three males are voted off during each elimination round). The remaining three males then have the power to eliminate two of the celebrities while the girls decide which male challenger should be voted out. The last standing celebrity then chooses a winner from the last two remaining men.

Complicated? Think Survivor, Fear Factor, and The Bachelorette rolled into one. The female celebrities: Viva Hot Babe Ella V., sweet Katarina Perez, and sexy Katrina Halili. At stake for the male winner: a huge cash prize and a romantic date. And for the runners-up? TV exposure and possible celebrity status. Ironically, 1st-runner up Brad Murdoch was featured in rival network ABS-CBN’s “The Buzz” after “Get Me” aired and soon, the Prince of Darkness role in “Super Inggo”. 2nd runner up Bim Cecilio too, was given a role in “Super Inggo”. The irony continues as more male challengers are given minor ABS-CBN TV guestings, and even features and jobs in ABS-CBN publications such as Chalk Magazine.

It has been two years and only three out of the twelve male challengers have made their mark here in UPH: “Boy Next Door” Bim Cecilio, “Filipino-Aussie” Brad Murdoch and “Bad Boy” Edward Paez who was voted off during round two. Meet the other nine challengers in this post (Pics of the guys after the jump).

Extra Challenge’s Get Me Boys during one of their Reunions

Some of the challengers

1. Nico Uy (Get Me Winner) – From day one, the girls made it clear that an athlete with the height was what they were looking for, so it was an easy game for this PBL “Player”. Aside from being a baller, this former Cosmo Bachelor has worked the runway in fashion shows for some of the country’s top designers and has appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Bachelor Bash.

1. Apollo Jones (voted off during round 3) – Apollo is a walking contradiction of sorts – he looks purely Filipino but with an undeniable Aussie twang. This overall funny and wacky guy, who definitely has a weird sense of humor, guarantees that you’ll have a lot of fun when you’re with him. Dubbed as the Cosmo Bachelor “Dingo”, he is into football, modeling, and acting (has played a doctor in the indie film “Bilog” with Xeno Alejandro).

3. RA Cachero (voted off during round 3) – Nobody saw this coming. The guys were all in shock when it was revealed that the soft-spoken “Jolog” who made it to the top six in “Get Me”, later joined (and won) Mr. Gay Philippines 2007, a competition aimed to prove that in the Philippines, one can be still be gay and masculine at the same time. Wonder what Ella V., Katarina P. and Katrina H. must be thinking right now.

4. Jonas Gruet (voted off during round 2) – Graduating with double degrees was enough to label him as “The Genius” of the guys. Having the experience in writing for glossy magazines (during a go-see for a fashion magazine, he asked one of the editors for the opportunity to write, and he has been writing since then) prepared him well for the mental challenges. Jonas was cast as the lead in four commercials: STI College, Philippine Daily Inquirer Job Market, Granny Goose Tortillos and Cherifer.

5. Niño Ibarrola aka Niño Rico (voted off during round 1) – This PMAP model’s height and frame could have been useful at the challenges, but it was probably his introduction as “The Promdi” from Lucena City that killed his chances of making it far in the game. This year though, he has more than made up for it as he landed on the pages of Cosmopolitan Magazine’s 69 most eligible bachelors. He didn’t make it to the Cosmopolitan Bachelor Bash 2007, though, since he has already left for Macau when the event was held. At present, he is still in the former Portuguese colony (together with fellow models Michael Hoo and MJ Santos) for modeling assignments.