MANILA, Philippines — The long “commercial break” is finally ending.
Vice Ganda has officially unveiled the new poster for “Gandang Gabi Vice” (GGV), pushing anticipation for the iconic late-night comedy talk show into high gear just days before its television comeback on September 13, 2026.
The poster was revealed during the September 3 episode of “It’s Showtime,” but Vice dropped an even bigger update: production is no longer merely in the planning stage.
The comedian-host confirmed that the first taping for the revived GGV had already been completed on September 2, effectively removing any lingering doubt about whether the highly anticipated comeback was pushing through.
And while the new artwork has given fans their clearest look yet at the return of one of Philippine television’s most recognizable talk shows, one potentially explosive detail remains undisclosed:
Who will be Vice Ganda’s first guest?
‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ officially returns September 13
GMA Entertainment confirmed that the new season of “Gandang Gabi Vice” will premiere on September 13 at 10 p.m. on GMA, marking a major change for a program once closely identified with ABS-CBN’s Sunday-night lineup.
ABS-CBN earlier announced that the revived program would also be carried through iWant and Kapamilya Channel, expanding the comeback beyond a single television platform.
That cross-network setup may be nearly as significant as the revival itself.
GGV spent its original run as an ABS-CBN institution. Now, one of the network’s best-known entertainment properties is reaching free-TV audiences through GMA as the collaboration between the country’s two major broadcast companies continues to deepen.
The Philippine Star described the revival as part of the continuing cooperation between ABS-CBN and GMA Network, alongside other collaborative entertainment projects.
Vice Ganda says first GGV taping is already finished
During the poster reveal, Vice told viewers that the production had completed its first taping a day earlier.
That announcement matters because previous updates had largely focused on the show’s return date, platforms and Vice’s excitement about reviving the format.
Now, actual episodes are being produced.
Vice also teased excitement surrounding the show’s first guest without revealing the identity, giving viewers another reason to watch the premiere.
The secrecy could prove to be a smart promotional move. GGV built much of its reputation around unexpected celebrity appearances, playful interviews, comedy games and unscripted moments that often became talking points online.
And the potential guest pool is considerably different in 2026.
Michael V., Marian Rivera and Alden Richards are among Vice’s dream guests
Vice previously revealed that the move to GMA opens the door to something that was considerably harder during GGV’s original run: easier access to some of the Kapuso network’s biggest personalities.
Among the names Vice has publicly mentioned as stars he would like to feature are Michael V., Marian Rivera and Alden Richards. He also noted that Dingdong Dantes had previously experienced appearing on GGV.
None of those personalities, however, has been officially confirmed as the premiere guest.
That distinction is important as speculation intensifies ahead of September 13.
Whoever gets the first seat opposite Vice will carry unusual expectations. The guest will not simply launch another season—they will help reopen a television franchise that has been absent from original programming for more than six years.
A six-year comeback that Vice predicted in 2020
“Gandang Gabi Vice” originally premiered in May 2011 and eventually became one of ABS-CBN’s signature Sunday entertainment programs.
Its original run ended on March 8, 2020, after nearly nine years on television, with broadcaster Raffy Tulfo appearing as the final guest.
Even then, Vice resisted describing the finale as a permanent goodbye.
In 2020, the comedian told supporters that GGV would return after what Vice memorably called a “mahabang commercial break.”
That break eventually stretched for roughly six and a half years.
Interest never completely disappeared, however. Vice publicly teased a potential revival as early as January 2026, months before ABS-CBN formally confirmed the program’s return.
Why the new GGV could feel very different
The challenge facing the revived program goes beyond nostalgia.
The entertainment landscape GGV is returning to is dramatically different from the one it left in 2020.
Short-form video dominates social media. Celebrity interviews can become viral clips within minutes. Podcasts and digital talk shows compete directly with traditional television. Audiences increasingly consume individual segments online instead of watching an entire program from beginning to end.
That could actually play to GGV’s strengths.
During its original run, the program was built around exactly the type of material that thrives on social media today: revealing celebrity stories, comedic confrontations, unexpected questions, games and highly shareable reactions.
The difference is that those moments can now reach audiences far beyond Sunday-night television almost instantly.
There is also another intriguing factor.
GGV’s arrival on GMA means Vice can potentially interact more frequently with celebrities who rarely or never appeared during the show’s original ABS-CBN era.
Vice himself has pointed to that expanded guest pool as one of the things making the revival particularly exciting.
The poster is out. The cameras are rolling. But the biggest reveal is still coming.
For now, the comeback has moved beyond teasers.
There is an official poster.
There is a premiere date.
The first episode has been taped.
And after more than six years away, “Gandang Gabi Vice” officially returns on September 13, 2026, at 10 p.m. on GMA, with additional ABS-CBN platforms also part of the program’s announced distribution plans.
But Vice Ganda is still withholding the piece of information most likely to trigger the next wave of online speculation:
Who is sitting in the guest chair when GGV finally comes back?
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