“Eat Bulaga’s” former triumvirate – Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (TVJ) will debut their new noontime show on July 1, Saturday on TV5.
Tito, Vic and Joey are bringing the “legit dabarkads” Ryan Agoncillo, Ryzza Mae Dizon, Jose Manalo, Maine Mendoza, Wally Bayola, Paolo Ballesteros and Allan K with them to their new home beginning next month.
In a press con Tuesday, TVJ regaled the press with the plans for TVJ’s noontime show on the Manny V. Pangilinan-led network.
The title, the trio stressed, will be a surprise.
“Sa akin ‘Eat Bulaga’,” maintained Vic.
“Kunyari Lunes ngayon, sabihin ni Vic, our title for today is,” joked Joey.
“Iba-iba,” guffawed Allan K.
One thing they assured, the noontime program will be enhanced, with better and newer portions , and that TVJ will play a more active role in the control of its production.
TVJ’s transfer to TV5 has shaken the free TV noontime slot. Kapamilya noontime show “It’s Showtime,” which used to air on TV5’s noontime slot, will be seen on GTV, the sister channel of GMA, beginning July 1. The Vice Ganda-led show will go head to head with TAPE, Inc.’s “Eat Bulaga,” which will continue to occupy the noontime slot of GMA.
In a statement released yesterday, ABS-CBN management expressed its appreciation to TV5 chairman Manny V. Pangilinan “for his support for ABS-CBN and for bringing ‘It’s Showtime’ to a wider audience through our content partnership.”
ABS-CBN said it turned down the offer of TV5 to air on its 4:30 p.m. timeslot.
“For 14 years, ‘It’s Showtime’ has brought joy and entertainment to our Madlang People here and abroad. We value the meaningful relationship we have built and nurtured with our audience in the noontime slot. It is for this reason that we have respectfully declined the 4:30 p.m. timeslot offered by TV5 for the show.”
“It’s Showtime” will air on GTV from Monday to Friday at 12 noon beginning July 1, and will continue to be seen on A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, iWantTFC, and TFC.
TVJ cut its ties with TAPE (Television and Production Exponents, Inc.), longtime producer of “Eat Bulaga,” last May 31 live on Facebook. The rest of its co-hosts followed with their resignation.
The noontime showdown of the three shows – Kapamilya’s “It’s Showtime,”TAPE’s “Eat Bulaga,” and TV5’s TVJ-led program – has increased the excitement of free TV viewers.
It’s a boon for viewers, the trio stated.
Tito said when they started “Eat Bulaga” forty-four years ago, the population of the Philippines was forty-seven million.
“Now it’s one hundred ten million. There is room for everybody,” said Tito.
