Tito Sotto reacts to new ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts; Tito, Vic, Joey to retain ‘Eat Bulaga!’ title in TV5 show

MANILA, Philippines — Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (TVJ) will bring noontime show “Eat Bulaga!” with them to their new home network, TV5, and will not change its title even if their former producer, Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE), is still using “Eat Bulaga!” but with a new set of hosts on GMA-7.

Following TVJ’s announcement today formalizing their move to TV5 via new producer MediaQuest Holdings Inc., Tito told PEP in an interview that their show will still be called “Eat Bulaga!” and they are working on reclaiming it from TAPE.

“Eat Bulaga. We are working on it,” Tito said.

Apart from free TV, TVJ’s “Eat Bulaga!” will be shown in “many platforms” on cable and Internet, Tito added.

In an interview with CNN Philippines last June 5, Tito broke his silence on the cause of their abrupt resignation from TAPE last May 31.

“Ang puno't dulo, leave it (‘Eat Bulaga!) alone!” Tito told CNN Philippines news anchor Pinky Webb.

"It was doing well. The ratings were as usual. Mali yung sinasabi bumaba raw yung rating, nabawasan nga ng kalaban, e... Ang pinakaano dun, dapat hindi pinakialaman, leave it alone."

According to Tito, the Jalosjos family, which owns TAPE, had no contribution to the program. 

"After all these years, 44 years, hindi naman sila nakikialam sa amin, e. It was Tony Tuviera who was coordinating with us the whole time. It was Tony Tuviera na kausap namin. Lahat ng production, lahat ng ginagawa namin du’n, kami-kami ‘yon."

Tito said that even the show’s expenses came from advertisers and not from TAPE. 

“Wala naman silang contribution doon, e. Kasi pati ‘yung sinasabi na saan daw ba nanggagaling yung ginagastos namin, hindi sa kanila, sa advertisers.”

Tito said that the reason why their salaries are often delayed is because of the show’s mounting debts. He hinted that TAPE might be unaware of how much their chairman emeritus, Romeo “Romy” Jalosjos Sr., is getting from the company.

"Kasi nga, madalas nadi-delay (ang talent fee) dahil nababaon sa utang. Mukhang hindi nila alam ang kinukuha ng kanilang chairman emeritus kaya nakakapagsalita sila nang ganu’n."

When asked to comment on the new “Eat Bulaga!” hosts on GMA-7, Sotto shared what their legal counsel, Enrique dela Cruz Jr., DivinaLaw firm senior partner, told them: "Well, it’s up to them, it's their own lookout. It’s their own lookout kasi nga nung pinag-usapan namin iyan, wika mo nga, kina Attorney. Nu’ng pinag-usapan namin iyan, sabi namin, 'Do we prevent them from doing so, from producing it, or whatever?”

"Sabi sa amin nu'ng mga expert dun, 'Di, hayaan niyo para mas meron tayong hahabulin. Mas meron tayong sisingilin.' Yan ang sabi nila," Sotto said.

Last Monday, TAPE’s “Eat Bulaga!” introduced Paolo Contis, Betong Sumaya, Buboy Villar, twins Cassy and Mavy Legaspi, and Alexa Miro as TVJ and Dabarkads’ replacement as hosts.

Rival noontime show “It’s Showtime” will reportedly end its TV5 contract for the noontime show slot on June 30 this year, and TVJ’s “Eat Bulaga!” is set to take over. 

“It’s Showtime” will reportedly continue to air on TV5 as a delayed telecast, but it will remain live on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z Channel 11, Kapamilya Online Live, and iWantTFC livestream.

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