We review the formats that premiered in the summer season and managed to stay in the usual programming of the networks
The summer has seen the birth of some of the most mythical programs on television in our country. ‘Pass word‘ or ‘The Casual’ they were summer bets that, thanks to their good reception by the public, achieved a gap in the usual programming of national channels or repeated in the summer time season after season, as is the case of ‘The Grand Prix‘. We review the programs that arrived in the summer and stayed for one or more seasons.
‘Pass word’
‘Pass word‘ is a double example of a program that arrived in the summer and has stayed for several seasons on two of the most important private channels in our country. In July 2000, Antena 3 premiered what was going to be the summer substitute for ‘Alta tension’, but which finally occupied its time slot after its great reception.
7 years after its premiere, ‘Pasapalabra’ came to Telecinco thanks to Christian Gálvez, repeating the same story. On this occasion, was going to replace ‘Allá tú’ in the summer of 2007but the discreet data recorded by the contest presented by Jesús Vázquez during his return made the Mediaset chain bet on the program of words for its pre-news slot.
Apart from this curiosity, the story of ‘Pasapalabra’ is completed with its new stage on Antena 3, premiered last year 2020 and presented by Roberto Leal, after the court ruling of Supreme Court at the end of 2019.
‘The newspaper’
One year after the premiere of ‘Pasapalabra’, in July 2001, Antena 3 opted for ‘Patricia’s diary’ for its summer afternoons. Achieving quotas of over 25% share, the program hosted by Patricia Gaztañaga earned her permanence in programming for the rest of the season, forming a successful tandem in the afternoons together with the contest presented by Silvia Jato.
The format produced by Boomerang TV (‘El secreto de Puente Viejo’, ‘La voz’) was on the air for more than 10 years and, in addition to Patricia Gaztañagawas presented by Yolanda Vázquez, Juan y Medio, Sandra Daviú, Mónica Martínez, Vanessa Martyn and Ainhoa Arbizu.
‘password’
One of the most remembered programs in the history of Cuatro is ‘Password’. The contest presented by Luján Argüelles reached its programming on July 7, 2008, a week after the Euro 2008 final, which was broadcast exclusively.
Five months after Ana Milan replaced the Asturian journalist, the format came to an end in the month of June 2010 after more than 485 deliveries issued and numerous economic prizes distributed.
‘I’m for you’
Undoubtedly, Antena 3 has been one of the channels that has brought the most summer successes to the programming of its new seasons. Another example of this is ‘I’m for you’. It premiered on July 11, 2005 by Anabel Alonso and achieved audience data above 20% screen share, also becoming one of the formats for which they were most interested in the Cannes MIPcom during that time.
The dating shows produced by Globomedia (‘Zapeando’, ‘El intermedia’) came to an end in March 2006, after Michael Brown replace the actress, who left the format to focus on the character of Diana in ‘7 lives’.
‘Friends and acquaintances’
One of the current formats of the mornings of La 1 de TVE was also born in the summer. During the summer substitution of Inés Ballester in 2014, ‘La Mañana’ premiered a section in which several well-known women gathered to discuss different current issues. Space became its own program with the title of ‘Friends and acquaintances’ during the month of September of that year.
Currently and after several controversies, the format is still on the air and has a special version on Thursday nights after the broadcast of the different installments of ‘Blood ties‘.
‘You know, you don’t know’
‘Lo saber, no lo saber’ was one of Cuatro’s main summer bets in 2012. Thanks to its innovation and the great reception it received from the audience, the contest presented by Juanra Bonet (‘Boom’) continued throughout the following season with the incorporation of novelties in its mechanics such as ‘The silver tie’.
After several schedule changes during the first months of the 2013/2014 season, Cuatro decided to cancel the space after a significant drop in audience.
‘The Casual’
‘El informal’ reached Telecinco’s summer programming on July 13, 1998. Despite its irregular audience data during its first weeks, the chain relied on the space presented by Javier Capitán and Florentino Fernández for almost 4 yearsbecoming one of the most remembered humor formats in the history of television in our country.
‘Flying I go’
One of Cuatro’s most successful programs today also came to its programming during the summer. ‘Volando voy’ premiered on July 19, 2015, and during its first season it averaged a 7.2% audience share.
At the end of 2017, the program presented by Jesús Calleja closed its best historical season with an average 8.8% during the broadcast of its last 8 deliveriesdata with which it has achieved renewal for a fourth season, which is still pending release.
‘TNT’
Telecinco trusted ‘TNT’ as the summer substitute for ‘Crónicas Marcianas’ during the summer nights of 2004. Presented by jordi gonzalezthe format was born as a weekly interview format, which reached an average of 24.7% share on Friday mornings.
Given the good data, the Mediaset chain continued to trust the space, which, little by little, became a magazine late night. ‘TNT’ came to an end in 2007 during the stage piloted by Yolanda Flores.
‘The Summer Grand Prix’
After the precedent they set ‘Games without borders’ and ‘When the sun is hot’in July 1996, TVE’s 1 premiered ‘El Grand Prix del Verano’, the most mythical program of summer television programming in our country.
It became an important tradition for many viewers for many summers as it managed to create a fun and engaging space for the whole family. Ramón García was the presenter of the 11 editions that TVE broadcast, in which teams from more than 250 towns participated. In 2006, the public channel and Europroducciones did not reach an agreement for its renewal and ‘El Grand Prix’ began to be broadcast on some regional television channels such as Canal Sur, Telemadrid or Canal Nou. This stage was presented by Bertin Osborne and was only on the air for 3 seasons.
BONUS – ‘Fort Boyard’
Outside our borders,’Fort Boyard’ is one of the most mythical summer programs in France and in the world. France 2 (Antenne 2) premiered in July 1990 this contest recorded in a homonymous fortress located in the southwest of the Gallic country, averaging a 25.5% audience share during its first 15 programs
32 years after its premiere, ‘Fort Boyad’ is still on the air. The French public channel is currently broadcasting season 33, which for the 19th consecutive year presents Oliver Minne.