Marta Flich (Valencia, 44 years old) found out this Wednesday that Telecinco intends to resume one of its star formats, Big Brother Vip, this autumn and that Mediaset Spain wanted her as presenter. This came just hours before the group’s official announcement in a statement, but the current Everything is a lie (Cuatro) host didn’t think twice about it and took on the task of directing the reality show’s eighth installment. “They told me that they wanted me to present a renewed, familiar and entertaining edition, so that the audience could disconnect from the conflicts. They thought my personality matched it,” he commented over the phone this Friday.
The presenter replaces Jorge Javier Vázquez at the helm of the reality show. Produced in collaboration with Zeppelin, the re-imagining of the room will reopen the home of Guadalix de la Sierra to show the coexistence of a group of famous participants. Although the essence of the format is maintained, there will be innovations in the mechanics of the competition, the communication group has made progress. In other words, they will revisit one of their classics to paradoxically illustrate the change of course that Mediaset intends to launch after the departure of Paolo Vasile and the launch of its new codes of ethics.
“Big Brother Vip” returns to the web after four years off the screen. The controversy surrounding the sexual assault case on Carlota Prado, one of her contestants, has left the issue unaddressed. But in April, a Madrid Supreme Court ruling sentenced José María López, his partner at home, to 15 months in prison for sexually abusing him during a party organized by the show. The production company Zeppelin must compensate Prado jointly and severally with the Chubb European Group LTD 1,000 euros in compensation for the additional non-pecuniary damage caused by the fact that he was informed the next morning of the crime of which he was a victim.
Flich insists that this version of the competition will be an almost entirely unusual proposal, “with good tone and no cheating or cardboard boxing” that will seek to return Anonymous to the essence of its first edition.
Questions. Mediaset and you are talking about a new edition of the competition. What are they referring to?
Answer. There will be many surprises. For now we can announce that the casting will be one of them. People will recognize the famous for his professional career. And this is very interesting because for 24 hours you will see the lives of people you generally don’t know much about beyond their careers. It could be top athletes or artists whose everyday life is unknown and suddenly you will see how they behave at three o’clock in the morning. It’s something very important and defining because it’s a statement of intent. Because because of his profile, his conflicts and emotions will be different from those we have seen in other editions.
Q: For many people, they weren’t an obvious choice to deal with this format. Take the baton from Jesús Vázquez. And also by other professionals like Jordi González, Mercedes Milá and Pepe Navarro.
A: The illusion takes over possible fears that I don’t have. They’re all television history and I’ve learned from them. Some are even friends. But the desire to have a good time prevails for me. javier javier [Vázquez] He was one of the first to contact me and he told me I enjoy doing it. I want to welcome all viewers so everyone feels a part of it.
Q: Although “Everything is a Lie” is difficult to play live, “Big Brother” is very different because the connection that has to be made with the isolated participants and the audience is very special.
A: I will approach it with my own personality, with professionalism and with all the honesty I have. In Todo es mentira we had to deal with very different things live, such as the La Palma volcano or the war in Ukraine. And you’ll need to use all your professional tools to advance. Will there be errors? Probably. Will it be natural? Well, probably too (laughs).
Q: Maybe one of these celebrities is a friend of yours…
A: Perhaps. For me it would be interesting… and even more natural. But I approach everything with a sense of humor. It’s all going to be pretty organic. I will also inspire empathy. I’ve been part of the audience of the format since the first edition and I know it well. I will engage with the participants and consume the format as if I were another viewer. You and I will grow together with the viewer in this new era of competition.
Q: So imagine going to Guadalix de la Sierra at dawn in your pajamas to conduct emergency interviews like Mercedes Milá did?
A: If necessary, I’ll go. Whatever the format requires. Those of us who enjoy reality shows have a passion for life. People and their behavior fascinate me. And that is man in his purest form.
Q: You have an economics degree, but became popular in 2016 by explaining economic concepts in a simple way in a video blog for the Huffington Post. And seven years later, it presents one of the star formats in the history of television. How do you take stock of this change?
A: As you say, it wasn’t overnight either. It was years of work and toil. As Woody Allen would say: A night that lasted 10 years… Just as challenging, but just as rewarding.
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