Actor and stage performer Pepe Herrera has officially exited Your Face Sounds Familiar (YFSF). Hosts Vhong Navarro and Jhong Hilario announced on November 15 that he would be permanently stepping away from the competition. Shortly after, Pepe released a heartfelt personal statement shared by the show’s official social media pages.
In his message, Pepe revealed that he is taking an indefinite break from work to prioritize his mental health, calling his statement a “love letter” to the public.
“Hello everyone. I wrote a love letter for all of you and thank you for giving me the space to share because this is very important for me,” he began.
Pepe shared that he has battled depression and anxiety since age 13, often relying on temporary coping mechanisms to push through.
“I haven’t been well for decades… All this pretending and escaping apparently is taking a toll on my body,” he said.
He described a recent mental breakdown and severe panic attack that became his turning point.
“Recently, I have been experiencing panic attacks in the evening preventing me from sleeping… A few days ago, I experienced a turning point. I had a mental breakdown… It was not just heavy. It felt like something was squeezing my lungs violently.”
After the incident, Pepe decided to seek proper treatment. He said he had a long and emotional conversation with his wife, who supported his decision to step back from work despite financial strain.
“Feeling exhausted, I made the promise to my body that I will never abuse it again by escaping… I made a decision to finally focus and commit to getting treatment while taking an indefinite leave from work.”
He shared that he has returned to therapy and is receiving support from healing practitioners, acknowledging that recovery will take time.
“I just have to commit now on receiving them and learning from them,” he stated.
Pepe also reflected on a passage from the book Permission to Rest, which connected grief to the lungs in Chinese medicine—something he found deeply resonant given his recent physical symptoms.
Ultimately, Pepe said the experience taught him to finally prioritize himself after years of people-pleasing.
“In a nutshell, after more than three decades of trying to be a people pleaser, I decided to choose myself and my healing.”
He expressed gratitude to his YFSF family and apologized for needing to leave, promising authenticity moving forward.
“You also deserve my complete honesty… from now on you will see the most sincere and truthful version of me. That’s a promise.”
Pepe ended his message by encouraging others to seek help.
“For those who are also struggling, I hope you get the help you need… Please don’t forget that you’re never alone.”
He requested that mental health hotline numbers be shown after his message, hoping they “might save someone’s life today.”
Fans have poured in messages of support, praising his courage and wishing him well on his healing journey. Earlier this month, Pepe shared on Instagram that he was taking a social media break and undergoing therapy, noting that the detox had helped him significantly.
During his run on YFSF, Pepe impressed viewers with standout performances, including transformations as Maki, Steven Tyler, and Juan Karlos.