More than two decades ago, Ninel Conde first appeared on a reality show. It was 2004 when the Mexican singer and actress agreed to participate in the third edition of Big Brother VIP Mexico, at the height of her career as a soap opera star and following the impact her character had on Rebelde.
Twenty years later, she returned to the format that put her in emotional and media jeopardy: La Casa de los Famosos México 3. And although reality shows have changed, and so has Ninel, there are key aspects of that first incarnation that may reveal what we'll see of the so-called "Bombón Asesino" in this new era.
Because if there's one thing Ninel has known how to do throughout her career, it's transform crises into spectacle.
2004: Ninel enters as a diva and leaves as a nominee
In Big Brother VIP 3, Ninel Conde entered as one of the favorites. She had fame, stage presence, and a rising name. However, her time was discreet: she didn't get into any major fights, but she also failed to establish any solid alliances. That was despite the fact that she was with José Manuel Figueroa. Or perhaps precisely because of that.
She was nominated in week 7, accumulated 14 points in the peer voting system, and was evicted in tenth place after 43 days in the house. What was missing? Game? Strategy? Connection with the audience?
In retrospect, her participation was a clear demonstration of her public persona: one not given to open confrontations. But a certain disconnect with the format was also evident: Ninel seemed to be more concerned with her image than exploring the emotional potential of confinement and having the cameras constantly on her.
2025: The return of the legend to the bull run
But this Ninel is no longer the same . She's endured divorces, scandals, custody battles, accusations against her ex-partner Larry Ramos, and even rumors of her retirement. The "Bombón Asesino" character morphed into a survivor of Mexican showbiz, a woman who turned every fall into a viral trend.
@ninelconde Y se unió @KAINE 🫑 junto a mi tío @🤠🔥Checo👹🤘🏾 al #trend del #bombonasesino en una de las casas que tenemos a la venta y o renta en Hope Village 2 en Houston Texas ! . . #trend #viral #ninelconde #bombonasesinochallenge
♬ sonido original - Dannaあ
Now, at 47 years old and with more than three decades of experience under her belt, Conde returns to a much wilder house: La Casa de los Famosos México, a reality show that pulls no punches. Here, conflicts go viral in seconds, memes are part of the script, and the strategies, more than political, are sentimental.
Ninel knows this. That's why, in her statements prior to the premiere, she hinted that she's coming with a new approach: "I no longer have anything to prove. I'm here to show who I really am, not the image they've sold of me," she said in an interview. Will this be the real Ninel or an edited version to connect with a younger audience?
Lessons from the past, plays of the future
What her participation in Big Brother VIP suggests is that Ninel has a natural ability to navigate the waters of the show without getting too wet. In 2004, that didn't work. But in 2025, it could work in her favor.
Today, audiences value emotional, vulnerable, and real life. If Ninel can open up, show her scars and not just her sequined outfits, she could become a central figure on the show. And although she has promised not to engage in confrontation, no reality show is without conflict. What will happen when her son's wound is touched? Or when she faces figures with differing opinions about her past scandals?
Plus, there's the nostalgia factor: Ninel represents a generation of artists that many remember fondly. Her return could serve as an emotional revival for viewers who grew up watching her on Fuego en la sangre (Fire in the Blood) or Amigas y rivals (Friends and Rivals) . And that, in the age of digital television, is worth its weight in gold.
The most interesting thing about this participation is that Ninel has made it clear that it could be her last major television project. In several interviews, she has mentioned that she sees this program as a kind of farewell: "I have other dreams. I would like to focus on my family, my businesses, and supporting social causes." But is this retirement real or just part of a narrative?
If Mexican television has proven anything, it's that goodbyes are often perfect pretexts for a bigger comeback. Perhaps La Casa de los Famosos is the beginning of Ninel's reinvention as an influencer, businesswoman, or, why not, host of her own talk show. The exposure she'll gain will open doors that were previously closed to her.
What we can expect
Based on her past experience and her own words, we can anticipate that Ninel will play with emotion, with empowering discourse, and with the weight of being a woman survivor in a brutal environment. She may not shout, but she will know how to use silence, controlled crying, and a steady gaze into the camera to tell her truth.
It won't be the most scandalous, but it could be the most talked about.
And if it manages to connect with the audience, as it failed to do in Big Brother VIP, we could be facing one of the most powerful narrative arcs of this third edition.
Because Ninel doesn't need to shout to dominate the scene. She just has to walk in, look, and let the world revolve around her. She's done it that way for 30 years.
And in La Casa de los Famosos México 3, Ninel could do it once again.
