“Namimiss ko ang TV, magta-tatlong taon na.”
That’s the King of Talk, Boy Abunda, speaking. After almost three years of conducting interviews online because of the pandemic, Abunda said he is finally done with virtual shows and he’s going back to television this year.
“Sigurado ako I will be back on television. I don’t know kung saan, but I will be back,” declared the TV host during the recent launch of Rana Pharmaceuticals at Luxent Hotel, Quezon City.
Abunda said he will be seen on TV screens again either by October or November, but for now, he will finish prior commitments such as hosting the 2022 The Outstanding Filipino in America Awards on 16 September in New York.
With 1.76 million subscribers on YouTube alone, Abunda has also conquered social media. But he said there is nothing like working in television.
“Iba ‘yung ilaw, iba ang bilang, iba ang indayog, iba ang rhythm. Iba lahat na hindi ko nararanasan sa social media.”
Which network will have the good fortune of hosting him?
“Hindi ko pa alam pero marami akong kausap,” Abunda said. “May mga pag-uusap, hindi lamang sa Channel 7.”
That last bit elicited the revelation that he asked permission from ABS-CBN, his home network, to hold talks with rival channel GMA. If he did eventually change channels, said Abunda, “There is no reason why my relationship with ABS-CBN should be affected.”
The host also clarified that he did not receive any proposal from Advanced Media Broadcasting System, the network owned by tycoon Manny Villar that recently took over the frequency of ABS-CBN.
“Wala akong offer from the Villar group,” he said. Nor is there any conversation between him and the network at present.
“Sa ngayon, wala talagang kasiguraduhan pa. Ang alam ko lang, I’ll be back on television,” Abunda said.