The cast of “It’s Showtime” learned of the “good news” only a week before the big day.

“We were briefed about it by Tita Cory (Vidanes, ABS-CBN’s chief operating officer),” Ogie Alcasid, one of the noontime variety show’s hosts, told the Inquirer in a text message.

In yet another shift in the noontime television “rigodon,” “It’s Showtime” has found a new home on the turf of its former rival network. After the contract signing last March 20, the long-running show will air on GMA 7, Mondays to Saturdays, starting April 6.

All dressed in auspicious red, the hosts huddled to pray as they boarded the glittery float that would take them to what ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer Carlo L. Katigbak described as a “historic occasion.”

“We prayed for strength and thanked the Lord for this wonderful blessing,” Ogie said. “God is so good. He really is.”

The mood was fun and festive—with the hosts recording videos, waving to the crowd and singing the show’s theme song—as their float inched its way from ABS-CBN’s Sgt. Esguerra gate toward GMA’s main entrance on Timog Avenue, where they were received by cheering Kapuso employees and executives.
Vhong Navarro was touched by the warm welcome. Ion Perez couldn’t find the right words. Vice Ganda was on the verge of tears. “Nakakaiyak,” she said in an Instagram reel posted by cohost Jugs Jugueta.

It’s not hard to imagine why. The nonrenewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise in 2020 had “It’s Showtime” scrambling to secure blocktime deals with other free-to-air networks, like A2Z later that year, TV5 in 2022 and GMA’s sister channel, GTV, in 2023. But just when the show was finally getting its groove back, it suffered another blow.

TV5 stopped airing “It’s Showtime” in July 2023 to make way for Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon’s new noontime show, “E.A.T.” The acrimonious split prompted the trio’s former producer, TAPE Inc., to relaunch “Eat Bulaga!” with a new set of hosts.

Lending a helping hand

However, the revamped “Eat Bulaga!” — later rebranded as “Tahanang Pinakamasaya” after losing a trademark case — got the axe earlier this month, reportedly due to poor ratings and advertisement load. According to sources, GMA, at one point, considered putting together a new show featuring select hosts from the game show “TiktoClock.” But as it turned out, it was ABS-CBN and “It’s Showtime” that ended up getting the slot.

Now, they can finally call GMA their home. “Noong pinasok tayo sa GTV, nabuksan ’yung bakuran. Pero nung GMA na, binuksan na talaga ’yung pinto, ‘Halika, dito na kayo sa sala,’” Vice said.

Joining Vice were Anne Curtis, Vhong, Ion, Jugs, Ogie, Jhong Hilario, Kim Chiu, Karylle, Amy Perez, Teddy Corpuz, Ryan Bang, Jackie Gonzaga, MC Muah, Lassy Marquez, Cianne Dominguez and Darren Espanto.

Vice described the deal as “massive and transformative.” It was an event that wouldn’t have happened if not for the challenges GMA and ABS-CBN faced. “Hindi mo inakala na magsasama pero posible palang mangyari,” said Vice, who also thanked GMA for lending them a helping hand—and not kicking them down—when they were at their lowest.

“Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman nating lahat kung gaano kasadsad ang isinadsad ng Kapamilya … Pero naririyan kayo, hindi para tapakan kami at saktan pa … Inialay ninyo ang kamay ninyo para unti-unti kaming makabangon,” Vice said. “Maraming salamat po … Ang dami ninyong pwedeng piliin, pero sa dulo, pinili ninyo kami.”

Aside from GMA and GTV, “It’s Showtime” will continue airing on A2Z, the local cable channels Jeepney TV and Kapamilya channel; international channels TFC and GMA Pinoy TV; as well as various social media and video platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

Katigbak thanked GMA for never giving up on them.

“We have been given a very special opportunity to work with GMA 7, so let’s go the extra mile to prove our partners that we deserve this chance, that we’re worthy of the trust they put in us,” said the ABS-CBN executive, who made sure to attend the event and set foot in the GMA studios for the first time as a “show of appreciation.”

Higher ratings expected

Katigbak was joined by fellow ABS-CBN executives Vidanes, chair Mark L. Lopez and group chief financial officer Rick B. Tan.

GMA was represented by chair lawyer Felipe L. Gozon, chief executive officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr., executive vice president and chief financial officer Felipe S. Yalong, and senior vice president for programming lawyer Annette Gozon-Valdes.

With this partnership, Gozon expects “It’s Showtime” to enjoy higher ratings. “Carlo promised they would deliver a good show given the two strong platforms (GMA and GTV) they have now. But I already knew that even without Carlo’s promise,” he said. “So I expect—not hope—that ‘It’s Showtime’s’ ratings will rise.”

Gozon also reiterated his earlier pronouncement that the network wars are finally over. “The fact that we’re holding this signing here … we don’t need to say anything more about their being welcome in GMA 7,” he said. “I think we can expect more mutually beneficial collaborations between ABS and GMA that will benefit the viewing public.”