“Being on Telecinco suits me well”

Telecinco will once again unite in front of the cameras Maria Casado y David Cantero, the mythical couple that TVE created years ago and that will now be back in charge of a newscast, this time the weekend one on Mediaset’s main channel. “When David found out, he sent me an audio and told me that he was in shock“, Casado recalled. For Cantero, this unexpected reunion should be an incentive after going into the weekend and being forced to ‘cut off’ his relationship with Isabel Jiménez. That television break-up also gave a lot to talk about a few months ago. “I took away one love and brought another”joked Francisco Moreno, director of News at Mediaset.

María Casado, president of the Television Academy and Antonio Banderas’ right-hand woman at his production company, began talking to Mediaset some time ago, but her signing was finalised “in mid-June”, explained the communicator. She had had “several offers” in the last year and a half, “both for television and radio”, and some had even come from Mediaset’s Programmes area. The offer for News ended up prevailing. “I told her, why don’t you stop doing that and go back to your origins?” Moreno recalled.

Casado, for his part, wanted to return to television, as long as he could combine it with the Academy and the Banderas project. “He understood it and I’m going to continue working at Soho. He told me that he knew that sooner or later this was going to happen, but that he didn’t want to let go of my hand.” The fact that he was going to work at Mediaset on weekends was what finally convinced him – “it’s a tailor-made suit” – because during the week he’s going to continue living in Malaga with his “little girl.”

“I’m here because my mother has always told me that you have to be where you are loved and they have shown me that here in the last few months,” Casado explained. “I feel comfortable and at home. Also, I needed to work in a private company and I think Telecinco suits me perfectly,” she said. “Some time ago I told a friend that I would end up at Telecinco and here I am. It’s a serious, cheerful, mischievous channel when it comes to it… that’s how I am too. Being on Telecinco suits me well. And if anyone has doubts, they shouldn’t because I haven’t had them.” The signing of María Casado is also supported by Carlos Franganillowho in addition to presenting is also responsible for Informativos Telecinco. “We know each other from TVE, she works very well and it’s a pleasure to have her with us. There are very few professionals like her”said the presenter of the 9:00 pm news programme.

As it could not be otherwise, the arrival of María Casado to Mediaset will mark the return of this channel to the Television Academy. “It has been discussed and it simply needs to be formalised,” confirmed the presenter and president of the organisation. “It has been discussed since before I was the news director,” added Moreno, vice-president of ATV.

The future of Ribagorda and the dance of presenters in Informativos Telecinco

In addition to presenting Telecinco’s weekend news programmes with Cantero, María Casado will also be responsible for editing it – “It’s the only thing I asked for” – a job that until now was carried out by José Ribagorda, the person most affected by the Catalan journalist’s departure. This historic communicator has no place left at Informativos Telecinco and is waiting for the channel to decide his fate.He will have his place, like everyone else, because we cannot allow anyone to be idle.“, said the head of News. Casado’s arrival has also caused a change of slot for Leticia Iglesias, who moves from the weekend to the evening, as Franganillo’s partner.

Where there are no changes is at 3:00 p.m., a newscast that was revamped nine months ago with a risky bet – the tandem Ángeles Blanco and Isabel Jiménez – that has paid off. “We made the right choice and we’re in a relationship for a while”Moreno said. The weekend formula, however, was not as successful and that is why they have decided to give this edition a new look. “Television is trial and error on all channels and we are seeing it these days”he commented. “It could have been more complicated to fit in at 3pm, and that has been more positive, but it has not happened as naturally over the weekend.” The only change that will occur in the 3pm newscast is the incorporation of Arancha Morales, from Matinal, where Laila Jiménez and Bricio Segovia remain.

All these changes are part of the restructuring process opened at Telecinco after Piqueras’ departure and the arrival of Francisco Moreno to lead Mediaset’s news programmes with a “long-term project for the next decade”. “Things are not easy, but they are easier if you have the best people,” said Moreno about the difficulties that have been encountered in recent months within a channel that is suffering an almost structural crisis. “This needs time and perseverance, and we will not lack that because Mediaset’s management is understanding,” he added. His commitment remains “to make neutral news, without opinions, within a very polarized and noisy scenario”.