The Telecinco presenter speaks to the media at the launch of '¡De lunes a viernes!', the new afternoon magazine starting on 6 July, and confesses her obsession with audience figures.
Bea Archidona doesn't hold back. Just days before the premiere of ¡De lunes a viernes!, the new afternoon magazine that Telecinco is launching next Monday, 6 July at 18:15, the presenter has spoken to the media at a press conference from Mediaset. Amid laughter and confessions, she discussed the pressure of the ratings, comparisons with Sálvame, and her desire for Your Face Sounds Familiar, the show that competes with her on Fridays, to end.
The pressure of ratings and the wish for the rival to end
Archidona admitted that the ratings keep her awake at night. Literally. "I don't know what's happening to my body, but between half past seven and a quarter to eight, I wake up every Saturday to check them," she confessed. Although now, with the daily format, she believes that "there won't be time to think too much because you have to prepare the next show."
However, she was most candid when referring to Your Face Sounds Familiar, the Antena 3 show that leads on Fridays. "I can't wait for it to finish already," she said with a laugh, making it clear that the imitation contest is her main rival. "We have the titan of Your Face Sounds Familiar in front of us, which the whole of Spain watches. Then we have football... We have to look at things in context and with perspective," she added.
The presenter defended the ratings of ¡De viernes!, which has been on air for three years. "I am incredibly proud of the figures we are achieving, especially because Friday is a very complicated slot," she noted. For her, what matters is that "people enjoy it, that they are encouraged to watch us for a little while."
A new daily challenge with a summer flavour
The new show, which will occupy Telecinco's afternoons, arrives with a "more mischievous and carefree" tone, according to the network. Archidona approaches it "with a lot of excitement" and with Santi Acosta, her partner on ¡De viernes!, whom she describes as "a television marriage." "Three years is quite a long time, isn't it? So you can relax," she joked.
The team of collaborators is broad and varied, with "many generations, very different ages, different voices, different profiles." The presenter is clear about how to manage it: "Let everyone be who they are, and from there, if a conflict arises, we will face it." A philosophy she summarises as "one game at a time."
When asked about the challenging audience situation Telecinco is facing, Archidona was realistic. "I don't know if excitement pays the bills, but it certainly helps a lot day to day," she said. Her goal: "To bring strong and original content, enjoy it, and defend it in the most dignified way possible." That said, she won't set numerical targets. "That would be absurd," she concluded.
The local angle: a bet on summer entertainment
For viewers in the province of Málaga, the premiere of this magazine offers an alternative for summer afternoon entertainment. With a format that promises "strong content" and a carefree tone, the show aims to capture the attention of an audience that, during the summer months, demands light and relatable programmes. The presence of Málaga or Andalusian collaborators has not been confirmed, but the network is betting on a diverse cast that can connect with the entire territory.
The precedent of ¡De viernes!, which has managed to establish itself over three years in a challenging slot, invites optimism. Archidona recalls that "the challenge has already been to gather the team of collaborators we have and consolidate the programme." Now, with the leap to daily broadcasting, the pressure is greater, but the presenter trusts her team.
On Monday, 6 July, at 18:15, viewers will be able to see if the new magazine can engage them. In the meantime, Archidona is already dreaming of Your Face Sounds Familiar closing down. Just in case, she will continue waking up on Saturdays to check the ratings.
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