Celeste Cortesi’s Unscripted Journey to Motherhood

In Celeste Unscripted, the former beauty queen and entrepreneur opens up about life after pageantry, building a business, and the deeply personal journey that led her and her partner, Jonny Sterling, toward parenthood

For some, the road to having a baby happens quickly. For others, it comes with months—or even years—of waiting, questions, doctor’s appointments, and difficult decisions. And while every journey is different, the emotions that come with wanting to start a family are often something many couples can relate to.

Since announcing that she was expecting her first child, a baby boy, with partner Jonny Sterling, Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi has found herself at the center of public speculation, including rumors about their relationship. Those conversations may have eventually died down, but now, Celeste is choosing to tell her story in her own words—and on her own terms.

Through the reality show Celeste Unscripted, directed by Mike Carandang, viewers get a closer look at the former beauty queen beyond the gowns, pageant stages, and carefully curated social media posts.

The show, which premiered on GTV on August 8, follows Celeste as she navigates life after pageantry, runs her lip brand Asul, and prepares for one of the biggest chapters of her life: becoming a mother.

For Celeste, life after competing in Miss Universe has meant finding a new rhythm.

Life after Miss Universe

The first episode of Celeste Unscripted introduces viewers to the people who make up Celeste’s everyday world—and what life looks like for her now.

Of course, Jonny, her partner, is involved in several businesses, including GOAT Creative Studios, which he co-owns with Mike Carandang. Then there’s Celeste’s work behind Asul, the lip line she founded and continues to grow. She is joined by her good friend Juan Benjamin, an entrepreneur whom she calls Benj, and Asul’s social media manager Marky Hora.

The show gives viewers a glimpse of the work that happens behind her entrepreneurial journey, including her search for a new office as Asul continues to expand. It also revisits parts of her pageant experience. In one scene, Benj asks Celeste about what happened during the closed-door interviews at the 2022 Miss Universe pageant, giving her the chance to look back on one of the most talked-about periods of her life.

But more than looking back, the series shows where Celeste is headed.

And for her and Jonny, that meant talking about starting a family.

When baby fever becomes something more

By the second and third episodes, the conversations between Celeste and Jonny begin to shift toward something they had apparently been discussing for quite some time: having a baby.

During a trip to the United States, the couple consults with a nurse who is friends with Jonny to learn more about IVF. Celeste also shares that she has PCOS and that she is worried about how it could affect her chances of conceiving.

For many women, deciding to seek help when trying to get pregnant can come with its own set of emotions. There can be fear, uncertainty, and plenty of questions about what comes next. In Celeste’s case, consulting fertility specialists and learning more about IVF became part of taking the next step toward the family she and Jonny hoped to have.

The show also captures the smaller moments that made the journey feel even more real.

While in the US, Celeste meets Jonny’s friends and travels to his hometown in Florida, where she gets to meet his parents. Jonny shares that it was a significant step for him, as he had never introduced a woman he had dated to his parents before.

There are also sweet, slightly awkward moments that many first-time parents-to-be might recognize.

Celeste meets one of Jonny’s friends who has a baby and initially feels nervous about holding the child. Eventually, she gets more comfortable. Later, during a trip to Hawaii with Jonny and Benj, she meets another friend with a baby and gets another chance to hold one.

They may seem like small moments, but they also show Celeste easing into the idea of motherhood.

Taking the next step

By the fourth episode, viewers get a closer look at the more serious side of Celeste and Jonny’s journey as they visit a fertility clinic and prepare for egg retrieval as part of their IVF process.

The episode also introduces more people from Celeste’s circle, including fashion designer Chris Nick and beauty queen and entrepreneur Justine Felizarta, a close friend of Celeste.

Beyond their businesses and plans for a family, the series also shows another side of the couple. Celeste and Jonny are seen extending support to communities affected by the September 2025 Cebu earthquake and another earthquake in Mindanao, donating millions of pesos to organizations helping those devastated by the disasters.

There are still several episodes left in Celeste Unscripted, but the first few episodes have already given viewers a glimpse of the road that brought the couple to where they are today.

And it wasn’t simply a journey toward announcing a pregnancy.

It was a journey filled with conversations, concerns, medical consultations, and the decision to ask for help.

Starting a family comes with challenges, too

Celeste Unscripted may show the glamorous side of Celeste and Jonny’s lives, but some of its most relatable moments come from their vulnerability around starting a family.

Wanting a baby does not always mean getting pregnant right away. Even with access to doctors and fertility specialists, trying to conceive can bring challenges that many couples never expected.

Today, conversations about fertility and IVF are becoming more open, giving more women and couples the space to talk about experiences that were once kept private. For those exploring their options, speaking with qualified healthcare professionals and getting proper medical advice remain important parts of understanding their own fertility journey.

As Celeste and Jonny count down to the arrival of their baby boy, who is due in October, their story may resonate with couples who are also hoping to grow their families.

Because behind every pregnancy announcement is a story we don’t always see.

Celeste’s story is still unfolding, but Celeste Unscripted reminds us of something important: there is no single timeline for motherhood, and there is no one “right” way to get there.

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