The first season of Pinoy Dream Academy formally began on August 27, 2006, and ended on December 16 of the same year replacing U Can Dance.

Nikki Gil was the main host of this season, while joining her in the Saturday Gala Nights were Bianca Gonzalez, Roxanne Barcelo, and Toni Gonzaga.

Yeng Constantino of Rizal was proclaimed as the "Grand Star Dreamer" of the first season on December 16, 2006.

The other finalists of the competition were Panky Trinidad of Cebu, Irish Fullerton of the United States of America and Chad Peralta of Australia.

As a surprise twist, four more finalists were added to the roster and they entered the Academy the following day.

These were Yeng's "Hawak Kamay", Richard's "Sunshine", Yvan's "Babalik Rin", RJ's "Miss Kita Pag Tuesday", Davey's "Dinggin", Panky's "Behind Those Eyes", Jay-R's "Hilot" and Jenner Mallari's "Salamat Sa'Yo Ina".

For the 1st Expulsion Night, the theme of the songs performed by the contestants not on probation was a crossing over of genres.

The folksong "Karaniwang Tao" was sung in an ethnic rock version, and Hale's song "The Day You Said Goodnight" was performed with a techno-alternative vibe.

The coincidence is due to the fact that Jun did not develop a fluency in Tagalog during his stay in the Academy.

[11] The songs performed were "Pag Nandiyan Siya" by Ernest Yvan Cruz Esguerra, "Wishing Lampara" by Mark Eduard de Mesa and Michael Sapico, "Ako" by Soc Villanueva, "Unfair" by Michael Plaga Ong, "Krishna's Eyes" by Edgardo P. Miraflor Jr., "You Moved Me" by Elisette Blancaflor, "Go with My Heart" by Gino Torres, "May Tama Ako" by Rickenson Calubad, "Tanging Ikaw Lamang" by Markel Cesar A. Luna, "Karamay" by Gabriel Jesse T. Guevarra, and "Pangarap Lang" by Alvin K. Gonzales.

His scores made him a probationary student for the following week's expulsion night, and it would have been his fifth time of being on probation.

The new rule stated that contestants who get nominated five times will be automatically expelled so that the academy can maintain its standard of excellence.

They were tested by the academy's faculty on their knowledge in musical theories, their media and dance performances, their fitness, and their diction.

Giving the best in her rendition of Anita Baker's Sweet Love, some of the audiences were shocked in her expulsion.

Last 7th Expulsion Night, Rosita was automatically put on probation because she got the lowest score in the midterm exams (having 68%).

[12] During the 8th Probation Night, Eman, Chai, and Ronnie got the lowest marks from the jurors and they completed the list of four contestants on probationary status.

Her expulsion ensured the safety of the three other probationary students, namely Jay-R, Davey, and Irish.

After the honor list of six performed along with guest singers, voting was temporarily closed to find out who made it in the top three.

Panky, Chad, and Irish rounded out the bottom three while Ronnie, Jay-R, and Yeng had the highest number of votes.

During the finale, ABS-CBN launched their new Philippine National Anthem music video that was aired on the network together with Studio 23 during Sign-on and sign-off until June 12, 2011.

The 2006 national anthem MTV is still played on radio via DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, and MOR 101.9.

The runners-up received an additional motorcycle from Suzuki, a brand new condominium unit in Chateau Valenzuela from Globe Asiatique, cash prizes from Fitrum (a vitamin supplement, P200,000 for the third placer and P500,000 for the second placer) and a recording contract.

The Grand Star Dreamer, Yeng Constantino, received a brand-new Suzuki Swift, a condo unit at G.A.

Towers, a 60-inch SXRD Sony Bravia, a Touch music video unit, a Belgian Waffle dine-in franchise, a recording contract, and 1 million pesos from Fitrum.

^Note 2 : Jun opted to leave the Academy because of loneliness, further worsened by his frequent nosebleeds and large language barrier, because he could not speak English and Filipino.

However, since she was the star scholar the previous week, Ronnie was awarded the distinction instead as he got the second-highest grade of 9.33.

His low grades made him one of the probationary students for the following week, and it would have been his fifth time of being on probation, with a score of 7.10.

His expulsion was due to a new rule implemented by the academy, which states that a scholar is automatically expelled when he/she receives a fifth nomination.

^Note 10 : In preparation for the Grand Dream Night, two finalists who got the two lowest viewer votes were expelled this week.