‘It’s Showtime’ taking over GMA’s noontime slot?
Speculations have been running high that ABS-CBN’s “It’s Showtime” is set to take over the GMA 7 noontime slot vacated by TAPE Inc.’s “Tahanang Pinakamasaya.”
Yesterday, the Vice Ganda-led noontime variety program teased about the “good news” on its official social media accounts before the episode run, with emphasis on the letter G.
Prior to that, Vice delivered some intriguing spiels during the March 12 episode of “It’s Showtime.”
“Narinig niyo ba yun? I-manifest ang the best days. The best days are coming. Every day dapat nagho-hope tayo, ‘the best days are coming’,” Vice said, drawing affirmations from his “It’s Showtime” co-hosts.
A report by Pilipino Star Ngayon earlier said that “It’s Showtime” was taking the final steps before its supposed transfer to GMA.
In response to The STAR on Friday, when sought for a reaction to reports about “It’s Showtime” as replacement for “Tahanang Pinakamasaya,” lawyer Annette Gozon-Valdes, GMA Network’s senior Vice President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group, simply said to wait for the official announcement.
“May announcement kami on what will take over next week,” she said in a message.
“It’s Showtime” previously aired on TV5 from July 2022 to June 2023 and currently airs on the GMA-owned GTV channel.
It has been airing on A2Z on free TV following ABS-CBN’s broadcast shutdown in July 2020 and eventually became available on Kapamilya Channel and Kapamilya Online Live.
Meanwhile, blocktime producer TAPE Inc.’s “Tahanang Pinakamasaya” officially went off air after nine months last March 8.
“GMA 7’s kind consideration and understanding of the company’s unwanted circumstances have been instrumental in helping the company in this transition. Despite our best efforts to save the show, both parties have reached a mutual agreement to finally call off the show,” TAPE Inc. then said in its statement.
It also expressed its gratitude to the people who have been with them since it was “Eat Bulaga” until its transition to “Tahanang Pinakamasya.”
“To the loyal viewers, esteemed hosts, supportive advertisers, hardworking crew and dedicated employees who have been with us from the very beginning — from the longest-running noontime show ‘Eat Bulaga’ to the present ‘Tahanang Pinakamasaya’ — our sincerest ‘Thank you!’ and optimistic ‘See you again!’”
The noontime show initially aired as “Eat Bulaga” with a new set of hosts led by former Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno and Paolo Contis in June 2023. It was renamed to “Tahanang Pinakamasaya” last January 2024 after losing the title trademark battle against original “Eat Bulaga” hosts — former Senator Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon.
When previously sought for comment on the fate of its reportedly 130 employees and the chances of the show being reinvented and moved to another channel, TAPE Inc.’s legal counsel Maggie Garduque told The STAR in a message: “Severance payments will be made to the employees. As to the show there is none but yes, nothing is impossible.” —