MANILA, Philippines — Vice Ganda is heading into September with two major reminders of how much Philippine entertainment has changed: Filipino performers are being pushed onto a bigger regional stage, while one of the comedian-host’s most recognizable television programs is preparing for a comeback few would have imagined in its old form.
ABS-CBN reported on September 1 that Vice is preparing for the return of “Gandang Gabi Vice” (GGV) while also praising the talent of Filipino artists following a major weekend for Philippine music. The comeback is no longer just a tease: GGV is scheduled to return on September 13, more than six years after its original television run ended in March 2020.
What makes the revival particularly significant is where audiences will see it.
The program, once closely identified with ABS-CBN’s Sunday-night lineup, is returning with distribution that includes GMA Network and iWant. ABS-CBN broadcast chief operating officer Cory Vidanes formally confirmed the revival during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting in August. Industry reports have described the move as another sign of the dramatically expanded partnership between ABS-CBN and its former television rival, GMA.
A nine-year hit returning after a six-year absence
“Gandang Gabi Vice” originally premiered in May 2011 and remained on television until March 2020, completing a run of nearly nine years. Its mix of celebrity interviews, comedy, games and unpredictable conversations made the program one of Vice Ganda’s signature television vehicles.
The distinction matters: GGV had a roughly nine-year original run, but it has been off the air for more than six years. Some reports have mixed up those two timelines.
Vice had already been openly teasing a revival earlier this year. When the comeback was formally announced in August, the comedian-host said the confirmation had given them renewed energy and enthusiasm to work on the show again.
But the revived GGV could have something the original program did not always have easy access to: a much wider pool of guests from competing networks.
Vice has specifically mentioned the possibility of interviewing Michael V., Marian Rivera and Alden Richards, saying Kapuso personalities who may once have been difficult to book could now realistically appear on the program.
That possibility could turn the new GGV into more than a nostalgia project.
For viewers who remember Philippine television when ABS-CBN and GMA competed aggressively for stars, ratings and exclusivity, seeing a Vice Ganda-produced ABS-CBN program airing on GMA — and potentially interviewing some of GMA’s biggest talents — illustrates just how dramatically the industry has evolved.
PEP has reported that, barring programming changes, GGV is expected to occupy GMA-7’s Sunday 10 p.m. slot after “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.” The outlet also reported that a longer version will be available through iWant.
Vice Ganda’s busy weekend put Filipino performers in the spotlight
The GGV preparations also come immediately after Vice hosted the Philippines’ national selection for the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026, alongside Alexa Ilacad and Darren.
Ten original songs competed during the August 30 Philippine Selection Night at the New Frontier Theatre, with CARMELLE and “Sobra-Sobra” emerging as the winner. The song, written by Nica del Rosario and Mat Olavides, will represent the Philippines when Eurovision Song Contest Asia stages its first grand final in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 14.
The Philippine result was determined through three voting blocs: 40% from a professional jury, 40% from viewers in the Philippines and 20% from international voters. SAGA’s “Broken Beyond Repair” finished second, while JM Dela Cerna and Marielle Montellano’s “Mapadama” placed third.
That competition provided a timely backdrop to Vice’s praise for Filipino performers. Eurovision Asia gives Philippine musicians another international platform at a moment when Filipino pop, vocal talent and entertainment exports are increasingly being marketed beyond the domestic audience.
And Vice is now standing at the intersection of both stories: celebrating a new generation of performers preparing for an international competition while reviving a program that helped define an earlier era of Philippine television.
Why the new GGV may feel very different
The fundamental ingredients of GGV are unlikely to disappear. Celebrity conversations, humor and Vice Ganda’s ability to turn an ordinary interview into a viral moment were central to the original show’s appeal.
But the television environment surrounding it has changed.
ABS-CBN today distributes major entertainment programs through partnerships, streaming platforms and other broadcasters rather than relying solely on the traditional network structure that existed during most of GGV’s original run. InsiderPH noted that the GMA airing reflects ABS-CBN’s broader strategy of producing recognizable content while tapping outside broadcast and digital platforms for reach.
That creates one of the biggest unanswered questions ahead of September 13:
Will audiences simply get the GGV they remember — or will the show use its new cross-network access to create celebrity pairings and conversations that Philippine television could rarely deliver before?
For Vice Ganda, that may be the real opportunity behind the comeback.
The famous couch is returning. The bigger story could be who finally gets to sit on it.
WWC ONE MEDIA MJE
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