It's Showtime (Philippine TV program)
It's Showtime is a Philippine television variety show broadcast by ABS-CBN and Kapamilya Channel. Originally hosted by Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Kim Atienza, Jugs Jugueta, Teddy Corpuz, and Vice Ganda, the show premiered on October 24, 2009, on the network's PrimeTanghali block, replacing Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba?. 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 currently serve as the hosts.
History
2009–2012: Pre-noontime era
First announced on October 7, 2009, It's Showtime premiered as a talent competition on October 24, 2009, under the name Showtime. The show aired Monday through Saturday during the timeslot before Wowowee, and replacing Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba?, which aired as lead-in for the network's noontime shows. The show's original hosts include Vhong Navarro, Anne Curtis, Kim Atienza, Jugs Jugueta and Teddy Corpuz while Vice Ganda served as a hurado.For the first four seasons of the show, three groups of 2-25 members, of all ages, performed each episode. One member from each group would give a 20-second introduction before their performance.
The hurados and the studio audience assessed each of the performances and give the group from a score ranging from 1 to 10. The scores were calculated as the average.
The winning group of each episode advanced to the weekly finals held on Saturdays. Winning groups then competed for a spot in the monthly finals held at the end of each month. The winning group of each montly final earns a spot in the grand finale competition.
Losing groups from weekly or monthly finals could be selected for the 'wildcard week' event, where groups compete against each other in the same, but accelerated, format. The winner of the "wildcard week" gets to advance to the grand finale.
Aside from the talent competition, Showtime also featured mini-segments that offers cash prizes to the studio audiences.
Showtime was also notable for the '
The classic Showtime format was revived during the show’s 10th Anniversary Special on October 1, 2019.
2010–2011; 2012–present: As a noontime show
From October 2010 to February 2011, Showtime occupied the timeslot of Pilipinas Win Na Win. Following the latter's cancellation on December 31, 2010, Showtime transitioned into the primary noontime slot. After that, the show would return to its original morning timeslot to make way for Happy Yipee Yehey!; the same day also featured the addition of new hosts Billy Crawford and Karylle.''It's Showtime''
On January 28, 2012, Showtime aired a special subtitled "Thank you, Showtime" to commemorate the ending of its two-year competition format with an impartial farewell. The show resumed broadcast on February 6, 2012 under the rebranded It's Showtime name and airing on the 11:30 am to 2:30 pm timeslot, Mondays to Saturdays, replacing Happy Yipee Yehey!, returning ABS-CBN's noontime slot's dominance by continuously occupying from the said date that was not seen since the end of the third and final 2010 iteration of Wowowee without Willie Revillame 1 year and 7 months earlier on July 30, 2010 as Pilipinas Win Na Win and the latter failed to reach Wowowee's popularity by having both low ratings, and following the 2010–2011 airing of Showtime on 12pm slot which worked.The show then added new hosts Jhong Hilario, Ryan Bang, Coleen Garcia and Eric Tai. Similarly, ABS-CBN's UHF channel Studio 23 which are now both defunct and CgeTV acquired simulcast rights during the first few months of its relaunch, while YouTube later added its own spinoff channel Showtime Online Universe in January 2018, alongside three digital programs And I Thank You, Hashtag Roadtrip and Donna What To Do. The Showtime Online Universe received a Silver Creator Award in January 2019.
When the show returned, It's Showtime brought back its original competition format as a special segment while launching new segments for both audience and public viewers where they can win prizes and cash.
The show went with addition of new hosts in the second half of the decade, with Amy Perez and Mariel Rodriguez in January 2016, and Nadine Lustre and James Reid in May 2017. Before 2019 ended, it was announced that 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 other ABS-CBN programs, stopped its broadcast, 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 took responsibility for the directorial duties of the show's continuation.
On March 16, 2021, Vice Ganda announced during the segment Tawag ng Tanghalan segment that the show would 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 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 until he became a main host on November 13. Jon Moll replaced Bobet Vidanes as the show's permanent director.
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 until its resumption on January 17.
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 hosts.
A female dance segment, Girl on Fire, aired from October 2022 to February 18, 2023, with Jackie Gonzaga taking her first role as the main host. A matchmaking segment called Expecially for You premiered on December 4, 2023.
Meanwhile, the classic Showtime segment It's Showdown premiered on October 30, 2023, followed by new games such as MeCHOOSE-MeCHOOSE on November 18, 2023, and Act Lang 'To on January 6, 2025. The revival and fourth season of the impersonation segment Kalokalike premiered on September 2, 2024, and a game show titled Throwbox premiered on September 7, 2024. The second season of the beauty pageant competition Showtime Sexy Babe and mystery game show Hide and Sing both premiered on January 20, 2025; Sine Mo 'To later returned on March 4, 2025.
Segments involving the Showtime Kids premiered starting in 2023, beginning with Isip Bata on February 20, 2023, which marked the debut of the Showtime Kids, followed by the revival of Mini Miss U on June 19, 2023, which ended on October 30, 2023. KaraoKids premiered on January 6, 2024, Showing Bulilit on April 29, 2024, Bata-Bata Pick! on July 30, 2024, Hulanino on January 27, 2025, and Ansabe on February 11, 2025.