Rumor has it that Willie will become the flagbearer of the upcoming Villar-owned network on channel 2.
In a statement this afternoon, February 5, 2022, GMA Network shared to its audience the news that host Willie Revillame’s contract with the network will be expiring next Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Apart from that, GMA also announced the end of the pre-primetime gameshow Wowowin on Friday, February 11, 2022.
GMA did not give a specific reason as to why the show is ending and about Revillame’s departure from the station and only wished Revillame well “in his future endeavors.” To know what those endeavors might be, perhaps we have to check on a writing that’s already on the wall.
AMBS to allegedly begin test broadcasts on February 14, 2022
In a report by the Philippine Entertainment Portal, they said that the upcoming Advanced Media Broadcasting Media System will begin its test broadcasts on channel 2 — that was assigned to them by the National Telecommunications Commission last month — on February 14, 2022. In the same report, PEP has already heard about the now-confirmed departure of Willie Revillame from GMA to transfer to ABMS.
For context, ABMS is owned by the Villar family, whom are considered to be close friends of Willie. Beyond sponsoring house-and-lots on Revillame’s gameshow, Villar’s Vista Residences also manages the Wil Tower Mall in Quezon City — named after Revillame’s popular nickname Kuya Wil. The Tower Mall has also been Wowowin’s alternate home since April 2020.
If ever this possible transfer does happen, Revillame is set to become the first and the biggest star to join the fledgling Villar network. To date, ABMS is yet to formally announce its initial telecast date and the programs that will be carried by the new station.
Wowowin’s almost seven-year run
Launched in May 2015, Wowowin served as Revillame’s return to the limelight after leaving TV5 in October 2013. Initially, the program was a blocktimer on the network and was broadcast as a Sunday afternoon program, before it was eventually transferred to the Telebabad block on February 1, 2016. Later on, GMA and Revillame’s WBR Productions entered into a co-production agreement, making Wowowin a Kapuso program of sorts.
In 2020, the show was given an extension on Saturday primetime, via Wowowin Primetime. However, the said program was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking of, during the pandemic, Wowowin was transformed into live program — something that it had not done during its earlier years in GMA — and focused on call-ins via the Tutok to Win segment.
Occasionally, it also served as the venue for several specials, most notably for an e-commerce brand’s monthly sale promotional event. Wowowin has also been aired from various locations across the country like Clark, Pampanga, Puerto Galera in Mindoro, and most recently, from Revillame’s place in Tagaytay City, Cavite.
By its end on Friday, February 11, 2022, the show would become Willie Revillame’s longest-running program with a run that spanned almost seven years.
GMA is set to announce a formal replacement for the show within the forthcoming week.