The presenters and staff of “Sálvame” during the last program that aired this Friday, June 23.Mediaset
In 100 years at the latest, someone will be the custodian of a Save Me time capsule, which will reside in a bank vault from today. In it you will find this letter next to various objects: “We do not know whether these letters will be read in 70, 80 or 100 years, but the date does not play a major role either, since acknowledgments have no expiry date.” . These words have no other purpose than to make it clear that today, tomorrow and always, a group of puppeteers will not forget the love and attention that a large part of the country has given them for the last 14 years. Attention and recognition for something as simple and as complicated at the same time as the courage to be yourself. Thank you for the laughter, for the complicity, for the plurality and for the vehemence. Thanks for the yes and no. We want you to know that the most important thing we achieved was working happily. We have defended diversity, fraternity, commitment and humor. And time will tell the rest. Signed: the employees of Sálvame”. This text was read by Germán González, collaborator and editor of the program, in the last part of the last program of Sálvame diario, just before the San Juan bonfire in the Mediaset parking lot with which the program ended.
More information
Save me was born with a vocation for immortality. On April 27, 2009, at the beginning of his first broadcast, Jorge Javier Vázquez clarified: “We come with the idea of staying for a long time. From here to eternity”. 3639 programs later, his farewell began with an appeal to this declaration of intent : “Only what is forgotten dies.” “Save me, will be forever,” read an onscreen overlay just before a large crowd of his staff, accompanied by the day’s presenters Terelu Campos, María Patiño and Adela González, the set, adorned with wooden tables and linen, entered tablecloths. Pictures as if it were a picnic. They danced, dressed in white, to the rhythm of “I Will Survive. “Because this will not be a funeral,” Terelu clarified in his first speech. ” It’s going to be a party in style.”
A party that did not only take place in the Mediaset premises. Sálvame moved six of his most famous collaborators (Belén Esteban, Lydia Lozano, Chelo García Cortés, Kiko Matamoros, Alonso Caparrós and Pipi Estrada) to different locations to illustrate the company he has offered to so many viewers: from a nursing home, to Pantoja (a town in Toledo), past the home of a family where Daniela, now a teenager, was born on the day the program began; the house of influencer Alexsinos, loyal promoter of the program; the home of Charito (99 years old), the world’s longest-serving alderman, and the door of HM Monteprincipe Hospital, awaiting the birth of the first post-save-me baby.
self-promotion
Between the special envoys’ contributions and what happened on set, the show added testimonials from a few celebrities about him in an understandable exercise in self-promotion. So we hear Alaska say that Sálvame “was a show that changed the way we watch TV, with which we laughed a lot, we had a lot of fun, we discovered people…”. And add: “We were also very angry about the things that happened and that we saw.” They made us very happy.” And to Maribel Verdú, who points out the outstanding place that the format “La fabrica de tele” has taken hold in so many homes: “I believe that for millions and millions of Spaniards at many moments in their lives it has been a very important grip.” , to be able to switch off, to go to other planets, into other lives. And if it was a rescue for them, congratulations.”
At the beginning of the program, Sálvame defined itself as a space of escapism, but in the afternoon a video recalled the social and political milestones of the last 14 years; from the 2009 recession to the war in Ukraine, with a special focus on the Covid crisis in which the show became the entertainment benchmark. “The big motivation was knowing that during this very difficult time for many people, we are doing things so that people can have a good time,” explained Antonio Montero.
The great absentee
And it’s time to remember the great absence of the afternoon. “Save me is Jorge Javier and Jorge Javier is Save me,” Terelu said. Jorge Javier Vázquez, who was on leave due to illness, kept his word and did not complete the program. To make up for his absence, a tribute video was aired, commemorating his finest moments over those 14 years. In typical Save Me style, he mocked his reputation as a warlord with images of North Korea. And immediately afterwards, the farmhouse celebrated its owner: the hall was closed with great applause from all the staff and the audience, who stood up, many of them in tears. “What would Jorge Javier Vázquez say after seeing this video?” Adela González asked herself and replied: “Shit, don’t cry, I’m not dead, I’m alive.”
They weren’t dead, but there were also missing former employees of the program, who declined the formal invitation to see them off. Rosa Benito, María Jesús Ruiz, Jesulín de Ubrique, Olvido Hormigos, Raquel Bollo, Isabel Gemio, Ángel Garó, Belén Ro. The only loving one? Anabel Pantoya. Although indirectly present at other times in the program, at this point the mentions of Karmele Marchante leaving the program without notice in 2016 and Paz Padilla leaving it in 2022 were conspicuous by their absence. Yes, there was a place after Carlota Corredera, the show’s former director and host, who left the house in March 2022.
Around eight o’clock the confirmation of the rumor arrived. “I want you to see something that just came out in EL PAÍS,” said David Valldeperas, referring to the news that this newspaper had just published: Netflix will produce a reality show in which some of its employees look for work in America. The space, although without a definitive name, will be directed by Belén Esteban, Terelu Campos, Kiko Matamoros, Lydia Lozano, Chelo García Cortés, Víctor Sandoval, Kiko Hernández and María Patiño.
And then came the time capsule and the climax of the program: after a musical interlude with a song composed ad hoc, the entire Sálvame team and its collaborators went to the Mediaset car park to watch some of the most important objects of the program burn. 31 years after Barcelona 92 goalkeeper Antonio Rebollo shot an arrow that ignited the Sálvame bonfire. His last big fire. Víctor Jara sang that in five minutes life is eternal. For Sálvame, eternity is variable: it can last 100 years, 14, four hours of the program or as long as it takes to consume a campfire.
You can follow EL PAÍS TELEVSIÓN on Twitter or sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
Receive the TV newsletter
All the news from channels and platforms, with interviews, news and analyses, as well as recommendations and criticism from our journalists
REGISTRATION
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits