Pepe Domingo Castaño, legend of radio and journalism, dies three weeks after turning 80

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“In the early hours of today, September 17, Pepe Domingo Castaño Solar died at the age of 80 at the Zarzuela Hospital in Madrid. Pepe left suddenly, surrounded by his loved ones,” reads the statement published by the COPE network early this Sunday.

“The day we never wanted to come has arrived. This morning Pepe Domingo Castaño died at the age of 80. We don’t know what to say because Pepe was everything to us. The radio will never sound the same again without you. This family will never It will beat the same again without you but, for you, we will continue… We still don’t know how we are going to do it but we will continue to fill the void that you leave us with life and radio. We love you Pepe, we love you and we will always love you as you have taught us, with joy and united. PEPE DOMINGO CASTAÑO SOLAR, the LEGEND of RADIO,” says his company’s tweet.

Manolo Lama, a faithful professional colleague for many years, was one of the first to say goodbye to him through his social networks. “A radio genius is gone, the master of communication is gone, the father of the COPE editorial team is gone. RIP Pepe Domingo Castaño.”

José Domingo Castaño Solar (Lestrove, A Coruña, October 8, 1942), better known as Pepe Domingo Castaño, was a radio and television presenter, writer and singer. He began his professional career in Galicia when he was only 18 years old. More specifically on Radio Galicia, affiliated with Cadena SER. In 1968 he was hired by TVE to present Young Library. The SER network had him again in 1973 as host of youth and musical programs. Years later he became part of the sports edition along with Paco González, in Carrusel Deportivo. Cycling tours, Tour de Frances and more stories came from his voice. He is gone, a myth of Spanish sports journalism.

Singer and TVE presenter

Pepe Domingo Castaño was without a doubt one of the leaders of radio in this country, but he was much more. He worked as a singer in several groups such as Los Ibéricos and Los Blue Sky and also had a solo career with notable success both in Spain and in Spanish-speaking countries such as Mexico, where he achieved a gold record with Motivos in 1979 and reached being number 1 on the famous top 40 list in February 1975 with the song Neniña.

His professional career began at the age of 18 at Radio Galicia in 1964, a job that he combined with working as an accountant until in 1966 he decided to go to Madrid to begin his career as an artist. Thanks to his good work on Radio Galicia, he caught the attention of the Movement Station Network, which hired him to work on La Voz de Madrid, where he developed his first musical program, the Musical Club.

He then moved to Radio Centro two years later where he continued his progression and became popular nationally with the program Discoparada. Around this time she began her career as a singer in groups such as Los Ibéricos and Blue Sky before beginning a solo career.

In 1968 his first partner would come into his life. María Luisa Seco who was a television presenter and was hired by Spanish Television where she presented the Biblioteca Joven program. On Spanish Television he specialized in musical programs, presenting other programs such as A todo rhythm and Voces a 45.

Cadena Ser trusted Pepe Domingo again and hired him in 1973 where he would continue with music and youth programs such as Viva la radio, Sintonías sobre Ruedas and Voces a 45 and El gran musical with which he won the Ondas award.

Her career as a singer began to take off both in Spain and in Spanish-speaking countries, reaching number 1 on the top 40 list in February 1975 with the song “Neniña”. In 1979 she achieved gold status in Mexico with the album “Motivos”.

The program 300 million During the years 1979 to 1983, it would be the last program that Pepe Domingo Castaño directed in Spanish Television. After this program he would focus especially on radio, on Cadena Ser with programs like Here the Being. Around this time, a new stage would begin for the journalist with the broadcast of several sporting events such as the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.

In 1995 there was a brief return of Pepe Domingo to television to take charge of the Numero 1 program on Telecinco. In 1988, possibly what would be “his program” arrived and in which he remained for more than 18 years, this program is none other than Carrusel Deportivo where he stood out for his great work and originality in his way of making advertising spots. Carrusel Deportivo and Cadena Ser were the home of Pepe Domingo Castaño until 2010 when he left for Cadena Cope.

The most recognizable voice

Although he is one of the most recognizable and beloved voices in sports journalism in Spain, Pepe Domingo Castaño’s career began in other areas. It would not be until the beginning of the 80s when the Galician made the first sports broadcasts on Cadena Ser, especially in large cycling races such asor The Vuelta a España and the Tour de France.

In 1988 he began his journey through Sports Carousel, possibly what could be “his program”, in Carrusel Deportivo was where Pepe Domingo Castaño managed to establish himself on the radio as a sports journalist. In the first stage with Antonio Martin Valbuena and later a whopping 18 years next to Paco González whom he considers like a brother.

Pepe Domingo commented on current sports news and was in charge of “singing” the advertising spots with a unique and personal style with which he won over Spanish listeners and made his voice very popular and recognizable.

In 2010 he would leave what was his home for more than 20 years. due to disagreements over the dismissal of Paco González, who was his partner for so many years and with whom he would end up leaving for Cadena Cope with colleagues of the Sr. like Juanma Castaño. He currently comments on current sports news on the program Tiempo de Juego on Cadena Cope, while at the head of the SER sports team, it was Manu Carreño who took over from Castaño, Lama and Paco González among others.

María Luisa Seco and Pepe Domingo Castaño

María Luisa Seco and Pepe Domingo Castaño met at the end of the 60s on Spanish Television, they had a relationship that would last from 1969 until 1981, when they separated. The television presenter, who died at the age of 40 in 1988, became very famous at the time especially with youth and children’s programs, one of her greatest successes would be in the program “Hola Chicos” which in turn was the form that María Luisa had to address and introduce himself to the young viewers. She received 2 Gold TPs and unfortunately in 1988 she died due to bone cancer.

Pepe Domingo Castaño María Teresa Vega

In 1985 Pepe Domingo began his new love life with his “eternal girlfriend”, as he called her. Former model María Teresa Vega is the person who has lost the love of his life. She stole the Galician’s heart and with her he had two children. Among her family members, the popular actress Cristina Castaño for works in series such as The one that is coming among others and his brother Nacho Castaño which has among its filmography series such as Fariña or Vivir sin Permiso among many others.

His state of health about to turn 80 years old

The last few years have not been good for Pepe Domingo in terms of health. He suffered a heart attack, although he managed to overcome it. “The Legend”, as Pepe Domingo is affectionately called by his colleagues in Game time, He had been hinting for some time that his work on the radio was coming to an end. In fact, he renewed his contracts and proof of this is that he renews his contract year after year.