It's Showtime is a Philippine television variety show broadcast originally broadcast by ABS-CBN and later Kapamilya Channel. Originally hosted by Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Kim Atienza, Jugs Jugueta, Teddy Corpuz, and Vice Ganda, it premiered on October 24, 2009 on ABS-CBN's Unli PrimeTanghali line up replacing Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba?. The current hosts include Navarro, Curtis, Jugueta, Corpuz, Vice Ganda, Karylle, Jhong Hilario, Ryan Bang, Amy Perez, Ion Perez, Jackie Gonzaga, Kim Chiu, Ogie Alcasid, MC "Muah" Calaquian, Lassy Marquez, Cianne Dominguez and Darren Espanto.

History

2009–2012: As a pre-noontime show

It's Showtime was announced on October 7, 2009 when ABS-CBN registered the show's trademark and copyright. The show's trailer for the premiere was then released and it premiered as a talent competition program on October 24, 2009 under the name Showtime, replacing Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba?, airing as lead-in for the network's noontime shows. The original hosts include Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Kim Atienza, Jugs Jugueta and Teddy Corpuz, with Vice Ganda as the resident hurado (unevictable judge). In the third season, the show added former hurados Billy Crawford and Karylle as hosts. In the first four seasons, Showtime's original competition format was that three groups, each made up of 2 to 25 members (with no age limit) perform a single performance, either a dance and/or song number. Before the performance, one group member is given 20 seconds to make an introduction before ending with the phrase "It's Showtime!". After the group's performance, the hurados, with the help of the studio audience, rate the group from 1 to 10. The group with the highest average score from the hurados wins the competition. The daily winner perform again to compete in the weekly finals. The winning weekly finalists advance to the monthly finals. The winning monthly finalists get the chance to complete in the grand finals. In the wildcard week, selected groups from the weekly and monthly finals are invited back to compete again for a slot in the grand finals. Aside from the talent competition, Showtime also featured mini-segments that offers cash prizes to the studio audiences.

2010–present: As a noontime show

In October 2010, Showtime became a noontime show, serving as the lead-in program for Pilipinas Win Na Win which was pushed back to an early afternoon timeslot which lasted until February 11, 2011. On February 12, 2011, the program returned to its original timeslot to give way for Happy Yipee Yehey! and at the same day, Billy Crawford and Karylle joined the show. On January 28, 2012, Showtime aired a special episode to end its two-year competition format with an impartial farewell. It then went on hiatus as the program prepared to become a noontime show again for the second and current time to replace Happy Yipee Yehey!. The drama series Mundo Man ay Magunaw and Kapamilya Blockbusters movie block took over the timeslot of Showtime from January 30 to February 3, 2012.

2012–present: It's Showtime

The show became a noontime show again after one year and its one-week hiatus with the new name It's Showtime on February 6, 2012, where it aired on its new timeslot at 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, Mondays to Saturdays, replacing Happy Yipee Yehey!. The program was simulcast on Studio 23 and CgeTV's website during the first months of the relaunch. It's Showtime brought back its original competition format as a special segment while launching new segments. It retained all of its main hosts while adding Jhong Hilario, Ryan Bang, Coleen Garcia and Eric "Eruption" Tai. In January 2016, Amy Perez and Mariel Rodriguez joined the program as hosts. In May 2017, Nadine Lustre and James Reid were added as co-hosts. In October 2018, It's Showtime launched its own YouTube channel Showtime Online Universe. Three digital programs premiered on the channel: And I Thank You with Miss Q & A segment grand winner Juliana Parizcova Segovia; Hashtag Roadtrip with the Hashtag members; and Donna What To Do with Funny One segment season two grand winner Donna Cariaga. The Showtime Online Universe received a Silver Creator Award after getting 100,000 channel subscribers in January 2019. Before the end of 2019, Crawford, Garcia, Tai, Reid, Lustre, Atienza, and Joey Marquez had already departed from the show.

Second decade (2020–present)

On March 10, 2020, It's Showtime temporarily stopped admitting a live audience in response to the government's declaration of a public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Following the government's announcement of a community quarantine in Metro Manila to curb the spread of COVID-19 on March 15, 2020, the show's production was temporarily suspended. During this period, It's Showtime broadcast a combination of episode replays and live episodes conducted via Zoom. As part of the network's temporary programming changes, the program's timeslot was shortened on April 29, 2020. Subsequently, on May 5, 2020, It's Showtime, along with all other ABS-CBN programs, ceased broadcast operations. This action was taken in response to the National Telecommunications Commission's issuance of a cease and desist order to ABS-CBN's free-to-air stations, citing the expiration of the network's 25-year franchise. On June 13, 2020, the show resumed its broadcast with a shortened 150-minute timeslot on pay television network Kapamilya Channel, owned and operated by ABS-CBN Corporation. The show is also simulcast on Jeepney TV and streams online on Facebook and YouTube via Showtime Online Ü and Kapamilya Online Live. After serving as KapareWHO cast member and as resident dancer respectively, "Kuya Escort" Ion Perez and "Ate Girl" Jackie Gonzaga were promoted to co-hosts of the show. On September 28, 2020, Kim Chiu, a guest co-host from the previous years, have been officially added to the show as a regular host. On October 10, 2020, It's Showtime celebrated its return to free-to-air television via A2Z under airtime leasing between ABS-CBN and religious broadcaster, ZOE Broadcasting Network. However, director Bobet Vidanes left the show in November 2020 after working as the show's main director for eleven years. Boyet Baldemor takes responsibility for the directoral duties of the show's continuation. On March 16, 2021, Vice Ganda announced at It's Showtime's segment Tawag ng Tanghalan that the show will move to a new studio soon. From March 18 to April 10, 2021, It's Showtime temporarily suspended their live productions due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the Greater Manila Area caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant. The show resumed new episodes on April 12, 2021, airing three pre-taped episodes (this includes past Holy Week Episodes) before resuming their live episodes on April 15, 2021. On April 12, 2021, Jhong Hilario temporarily left the show to take care of his partner and newborn baby. On May 29, 2021, following the launching of the show's new segment "ReINA Ng Tahanan", the program has been co-directed by John Prats. From August 7 to 21, 2021, It's Showtime temporarily aired from Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga while Metro Manila was placed under enhanced community quarantine in light of another COVID-19 surge caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. On October 2, 2021, Ogie Alcasid temporarily joined It's Showtime as guest co-host while Vice Ganda, Kim Chiu, Karylle and Ion Perez were on temporary leave. On November 13, Alcasid became a main host of It's Showtime. Meanwhile, Jon Moll was named as the show's new permanent director, officially replacing Bobet Vidanes. From January 6 to 15, 2022, It's Showtime temporarily suspended their live productions on a 10-day break due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the country caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. The show resumed their live broadcast on January 17, 2022. On May 28, 2022, Anne Curtis returned to It's Showtime after two years of hiatus. One week later, on June 4, 2022, Jhong Hilario returned to the show by disguising as a Tawag ng Tanghalan contestant, surprising all the hosts. A female dance segment Girl On Fire aired from October 2022 to February 18, 2023, with Jackie Gonzaga taking her first role as main host. Four kiddie segments premiered: Isip Bata on February 20, 2023, Mini Miss U, the revival of the said segment that first aired in 2020, on June 19, 2023 and ended on October 30, 2023, KaraoKids on January 6, 2024, Showing Bulilit on April 29, 2024, and Bata-Bata Pick! on July 30, 2024. Meanwhile, the Classic Showtime segment It's Showdown premiered on October 30, 2023, while a new game called MeCHOOSE-MeCHOOSE premiered on November 18, 2023. A matchmaking segment called "Expecially for You" premiered on December 4, 2023. The revival and the fourth season of the segment Kalokalike premiered on September 2, 2024, and a game show titled "Throwbox" premiered on September 7, 2024.

2022–2023: TV5 simulcast

On July 6, 2022, according to a report from MJ Marfori of TV5's flagship newscast Frontline Pilipinas, it was announced that It's Showtime would have a back-to-back collaboration with TV5's noontime show Tropang LOL, formerly known as Lunch Out Loud. Tropang LOL aired at 11 am until 12:45 pm, serving as a pre-programming to It's Showtime, which aired in a shortened timeslot from 12:45 pm to 3 pm. This is the latest ABS-CBN-produced program to be simulcast on TV5 alongside ASAP Natin To, FPJ: Da King movie block, Magandang Buhay and ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida weeknight evening block. On July 16, 2022, coinciding with their simulcast debut on TV5, the program refurbished its title card and opening theme song, as well as having a return to live studio audience after two years of suspension from March 9, 2020, making the first variety show on Philippine TV to do so after two years. While Studio 3 was on undergoing renovations, the show temporarily utilized Studio 10, which is used for ASAP Natin 'To, until July 23 when they returned to its home studio two days later with a brand new club-themed set. On May 1, 2023, following the conclusion of Tropang LOL after nine months, It's Showtime returned to its original 12 noon timeslot with a three-hour airtime. Not long after, TV5 announced its co-production venture with Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon where they would air their noontime show later known under the placeholder title E.A.T. (now replaced by Eat Bulaga!) on the noontime slot previously occupied by It's Showtime. TV5 offered the 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm time slot to ABS-CBN for It's Showtime which the latter respectfully declined. ABS-CBN and TV5 then separately announced that It's Showtime would end its simulcast on TV5 on June 30.

2023–present: Expansion on free-to-air TV; return to former frequencies

On June 20, 2023, ABS-CBN and GMA Network announced on their respective social media accounts that It's Showtime would simulcast through GMA's sister network, GTV beginning on July 1. A contract signing between the executives of ABS-CBN and GMA was held at Seda Vertis North on June 28, with former guest co-hosts Iya Villania and Robi Domingo hosting the said event. Curtis, Ganda and Alcasid was looking back at the past from GMA before simulcasting the show on GTV on July 1, 2023 and GMA on April 6, 2024. From September to November 2023, the simulcast of It's Showtime on GTV was temporarily limited to 2 hours every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday as it made way for the network's live broadcast of NCAA Season 99. It's Showtime temporarily ceased airing from October 13 to 27, 2023, to serve a 12-day suspension imposed by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). In its place, It's Your Lucky Day was aired. Upon its return on October 28, It's Showtime aired from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm every Monday to Friday and 12 noon to 3 pm every Saturday. Its timeslot was later changed to 12 noon to 2:30 pm from Monday to Saturday. On March 18, 2024, during the show's airing, a mysterious teaser popped out before commercial break stating: "Good News, Madlang People, Abangan!". Later on, ABS-CBN and It's Showtime's social media accounts posted a video featuring a reveal that would take place on air via Facebook and YouTube. Two days later, a media event where ABS-CBN and GMA Network signed a contract announced that It's Showtime would extend its simulcast to the latter's main channel, as well as on GMA Pinoy TV and Kapuso Stream. The contract was signed at GMA Network Center Studio 7 that afternoon, with Villania and Domingo reprising their hosting roles from the previous contract signing event. Because of this, the program's simulcast on Jeepney TV ended on April 5, 2024. It's Showtime debuted on GMA Network on April 6, 2024, while retaining its simulcast on its sister channel GTV. It takes over the timeslot of its former rival Tahanang Pinakamasaya, TAPE Inc.'s final noontime program on GMA during its 29-year run on the network. As a result, its opening theme was then reverted back to its original lyrics but retaining the additional lyrics after its move following its debut. On June 17, 2024, the show silently began its simulcast on All TV, marking its return to channels 2 and 16 in Mega Manila and regional channels previously held by ABS-CBN until 2020. This occurred nearly two months after ABS-CBN Corporation and All TV's owner, Advanced Media Broadcasting System, signed content agreements to air ABS-CBN programs on All TV.

Hosts

Featuring

Showtime Online Ü hosts

The following are the current hosts of the show's online show, Showtime Online Ü:

Show segments

Magpasikat

Magpasikat (lit. 'Show-Off') is the annual talent competition for all the hosts of It's Showtime. It is usually held either a week before the show's anniversary date, October 24, or during the week itself (although the 2021 to 2023 editions were held in November). The performances are evaluated by a special panel of hurados (judges).

FUNanghalian

FUNanghalian is a segment wherein the hosts play games. This is the second iteration of the segment that first premiered in 2018. FUNanghalian premiered on October 30, 2023 with the segment Tumpakners. As of July 30, 2024, five games have debuted: namely, Tumpakners, MeChoose MeChoose, KaraoKids, Showing Bulilit, and Bata Bata Pick. As of December 2024, the segment currently airs KaraoKids, Showing Bulilit and Bata Bata Pick.

And the Breadwinner Is...

And the Breadwinner Is... is a game show that is similar to the segment TrabaHula and is named after the upcoming family comedy film of the same name by Vice Ganda, debuted on November 25, 2024, replacing Kalokalike: Face 4. Three contestants claim to be "breadwinners" of a specific job or occupation, such as call center agents, teachers, or virtual assistants. Celebrity players, with the help of an audience member, the hosts, and the audience, must determine which contestant holds the actual job in real life. The game unfolds in three rounds: After all three rounds, the celebrity players make their final choice. If they guess correctly, the chosen audience member wins ₱10,000; if incorrect, the audience member still takes home ₱5,000.

Tawag ng Tanghalan

Tawag ng Tanghalan is an amateur singing competition that aired on the ABS-CBN network from 1953 to 1972. It was first revived on March 8, 1987, and lasted until November 26, 1989. It was once again revived as a segment of the show on January 2, 2016, and has since produced twelve seasons: seven regular seasons, two kids seasons, and three special seasons. Tawag ng Tanghalan is the show's longest-running segment, airing every day since its return in January 2016. The segment currently airs Tawag ng Tanghalan: The School Showdown, a special season which features contestants hailing from various universities around the Philippines. It aired on April 22, 2024, just two days after the finale of the second season of Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids.

Reception

Accolades

Ratings

Showtime debuted on its pre-noontime slot on October 24, 2009, with a 14.0% national TV rating based on Kantar Media Philippines, and then moved on the noontime slot from October 2010 to February 2011. Its immense popularity ended the dominance of talk show SiS on its timeslot. GMA Network replaced SiS with Diz Iz It!, a competition similar to Showtime, but it was cancelled after five months. Showtime first grand finals held in July 2010 received a 35% national TV rating, beating the 8.9% rating of Diz Iz It! and 13.7% of Eat Bulaga! The second grand finals held in December 2010 scored a 23.4% national TV rating against Eat Bulaga! 17.4%. The third grand finals in May 2011 also delivered a rating of 21.3% versus Eat Bulaga! 17%. Showtime again moved to the noontime slot for the second and current time on February 6, 2012, after one year and the show's one week hiatus (now using its current name It's Showtime), with a 13.6% national rating. The episode received an overall 16.3% rating when the viewership numbers from Studio 23 were added. Initially placing behind Eat Bulaga!, the show's rating peaked to a 20.9% national rating during the finals of the "Bida Kapamilya" segment and its third anniversary week-long celebration. The finals of the Kalokalike segment in June 2013 garnered a 26.8% national TV rating, leaving Eat Bulaga! and Wowowillie with 13.2% and 2.8% ratings, respectively. The finals of the segment's second iteration posted a 21.6% national TV rating, once again beating Eat Bulaga! 15.8% and Wowowillie 2.6%. It's Showtime continued its dominance in the noontime slot with its fourth anniversary week special held from October 21–26, 2013. The program faced heavy competition in 2015 when the sixth anniversary special only scored a 10.2% national TV rating, four times behind Eat Bulaga's 40.1%. This is due to the Tamang Panahon special (and the build-up before that), which served as the climax of the then-popular Kalyeserye segment which featured AlDub. It's Showtime quickly regained its prominence on its time slot when Tawag ng Tanghalan launched in 2016. The program garnered a 33.6% national TV rating during the singing competition's first grand finals, over Eat Bulaga's 11.7%. Tawag ng Tanghalan continued its winning streak during its second-season finale when it posted a national TV rating of 31% against Eat Bulaga's 9.5%. It's Showtime topped the ratings game once again during the first grand finals of Miss Q and A segment on June 30, 2018, with a national TV rating of 28.4% versus Eat Bulaga's 11.1%. The second Miss Q and A grand finals posted a national TV rating of 27.4%, beating Eat Bulaga's 10.6%, Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko 13.8%, and Tadhana 11.3%. Tawag ng Tanghalan third-season finale posted a national TV rating of 25.8%, beating Eat Bulaga's 10.4% and Hanggang Sa Dulo Ng Buhay Ko 9.5%. On January 27, 2024, Tawag ng Tanghalan seventh-season finale posted a national TV rating of 4.8% beating Eat Bulaga 4.5% and Tahanang Pinakamasaya's 2.7% On February 7, 2024, It's Showtime achieved a historic victory since the ABS-CBN shutdown with a rating of 4.4% once again beating Eat Bulaga's 3.9% and Tahanang Pinakamasaya 3.1%. On March 1 and 2, 2024, It's Showtime once again made victories in the ratings with 4.6% and 5.1% respectively. Thus, beating both Eat Bulaga 4.1% and 4.7% and the finale of Tahanang Pinakamasaya 2.9% and 2.8%. On their GMA Network debut last April 6, It's Showtime achieved 524,294 peak concurrent views online and historic rating victory since the ABS-CBN shutdown with an all-time high rating of 9.7% beating Eat Bulaga's 4.4%. On June 20 and July 5, 2024, It's Showtime made victories in the ratings with 7.9% and 8.7% respectively once again beating Eat Bulaga 3.6% and 4.0%. On July 18, 2024, It's Showtime once again achieved a historic victory since the ABS-CBN shutdown, their All TV debut and return to the original frequencies last June 17 with a rating of 9.4% beating Eat Bulaga's 3.8%.

Controversies

A series of statements by guest judge Rosanna Roces against certain groups during an episode in January 2010 attracted controversy for perceived insensitivity towards teachers. ABS-CBN relieved Roces of her jury duty as a form of self-regulation, but Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) placed the program under a 20-day preventive suspension on January 11, 2010. A placeholder variety show titled Magpasikat was aired in lieu of Showtime; Magpasikat had essentially the same talent show format as Showtime except that the competing groups are composed of celebrities. The suspension only lasted for six days after the Court of Appeals issued a 60-day temporary restraining order against the MTRCB's suspension. Showtime eventually returned on air on January 19, 2010. In March 2010, MTRCB ordered a total one-month suspension of the program because of the incident, including the replacement program Magpasikat. The MTRCB also directed the filing of criminal charges against Florida Tan, ABS-CBN vice-president for programming, and other officers "responsible for the violation." Bong Osorio, head of ABS-CBN's Corporate Communications said that the suspension was not yet final and that they were seeking appeal before the Office of the President. The variety show later on won the case because the MTRCB had not presented new arguments that would justify a reversal of its previous resolution. The program's dating game segment Nasaan Ka, Mr. Pastillas? drew ire from netizens and women's group Gabriela for "pimping" Angelica Yap, popularly known as Pastillas Girl. The program responded to Gabriela's statement, saying that it is "hurtful and offensive to women like Angelica who has done nothing wrong but to share her story with the hope of getting another shot at love." It also clarified the segment's intent of helping Yap find love and recover from a failed relationship. MTRCB summoned the show's executives to give a list of suggestions on how to improve the segment. On September 4, 2023, the MTRCB suspended the noontime show over an alleged obscene act by Vice Ganda and Ion Perez in a July 25 episode of the "Isip Bata" segment. However, the show continues to air as their network filed a motion for reconsideration. Atty. Juan Ponce Enrile, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, criticized what he perceived as an immoral action on part of Vice and Ion. On September 28, the MTRCB denied the motion for reconsideration filed by ABS-CBN and GMA Network, allowing the networks to appeal to the Office of the President within 15 days. On October 6, both GMA and ABS-CBN decided not to appeal to the Office of the President, leaving the program suspended from October 14 to 27. Another variety show, It's Your Lucky Day temporarily took It's Showtime's timeslot during the suspension period. Teacher Tony Dizon issued an apology after mistakenly stating that Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the first female president of the Philippines instead of Corazon Aquino on the show's trivia segment Throwbox on September 19, 2024. Acknowledging the backlash and accusations of boastfulness after sharing his academic achievements, Dizon expressed surprise at the mistake, noting the pressure of performing live. In a Facebook video, he emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes and urged the public to understand the challenges of being in the spotlight. Dizon concluded by stating that while criticism is inevitable, how one responds defines their character. The segment currently on hiatus.

Soundtrack

Showtime: The Album

A soundtrack album composed of five music tracks featuring the It's Showtime hosts was released in October 2010.

Track listing

All songs produced by DJ M.O.D.

Isip Bata: The Album

Isip Bata: The Album is a compilation album of eleven music tracks featuring the members of the kiddie group "Batang Cute-Po" (then called Showtime Kids) of the show's children's segment "Isip Bata", consisting of Argus Aspiras, Imogen Cantong, Princess Kathryn "Kulot" Caponpon, Jaze Capili, and Lucas Landicho was released on November 3, 2023. The first five singles off the album (Totoy Bibbo, Clap Clap Clap, Dalandan Shake, Pamela, and Learn the 1, 2, 3) were first released on October 13, 2023.

Track listing

International versions

The show spawned its first international franchise in 2019, titled It's Showtime Indonesia, which premiered from March 25, 2019, until May 9, 2020, on MNCTV. It's Showtime became ABS-CBN's first non-narrative format to be franchised by another country.