A heated discussion recently took place after the owner of Puregold allegedly called Joey de Leon to clarify the status of Eat Bulaga!’s remaining contract with their company.

According to some reports, the call was related to the ongoing public confusion between the original Eat Bulaga!, which is now hosted by TVJ (Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon), and the new version of the show airing on TAPE Inc. It was reported that Puregold wanted to be sure who was the legitimate holder of the contract to avoid any legal complications.

According to an insider, the conversation between Joey de Leon and the Puregold representative went well. However, speculation cannot be avoided that there could be a major change in the sponsorship of Eat Bulaga! now that TVJ’s side seems to be gaining strength with their return to GMA Network.

While there has been no official statement from either camp, speculations continue that some big brands may shift their support in favor of the original Eat Bulaga! Meanwhile, the fierce battle between the two camps over who is the true heir to the longest-running noontime show in the country continues.

What will be the next step for TVJ and TAPE Inc.? Will Puregold remain on the same contract or will it choose to switch support? Stay tuned for the next chapter of this hot issue!

‘They’re even better’: Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon admit watching new ‘Eat Bulaga’
Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon admitted that they have seen Television and Production Exponents Inc.’s (TAPE) “Eat Bulaga” with its new hosts.

At the press conference recently held at the TV5 Media Center, the iconic trio known as TVJ were asked if they had already watched an episode of the program they left.

“It’s work, man. I peeked. When I went live on Facebook, Pare [Vic], I also had some from Singapore, some from APT Studios. They were so excited. It’s funny, they’re embracing us and showing us that… you can’t fool yourself, right?” Joey said.

“Ask people. What do you think when you say Eat Bulaga!? They don’t even have to tell the Mayor, that guy,” he added.

Vic added: “I watched. Okay. Maybe after 44 years, they’ll be better. Oh, no! Okay. We’re all friends there.”

TAPE has tapped Paolo Contis, Betong Sumaya, Buboy Villar, Alexa Miro and the twins, Cassy and Mavy Legaspi, to host “Eat Bulaga” early this month. Tito, Vic and Joey tendered their resignations last May 31 from TAPE, the show’s producer. Immediately after, their co-hosts, Paolo Ballesteros, Ryan Agoncillo, Wally Bayola, Allan K, Maine Mendoza, Ryzza Mae Dizon and Jose Manalo, also filed their resignations.

Tito, however, said that he does not want to see it.

“No, no. Fortunately and unfortunately, no. I didn’t even try. I think maybe I’m just sad or annoyed,” he said.

Last Tuesday, the trio and their co-hosts announced in a press conference that they are set to air their noontime show next month on TV5.

Meanwhile, Puregold, one of the oldest advertisers of “Eat Bulaga,” announced that Tito has joined Vic and Joey as its official endorsers.

This announcement continues a long and storied partnership between Puregold and TVJ. In the company’s infancy, when Puregold only had less than 50 stores, it first partnered with Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon. The company celebrates its 25th year with nearly 500 stores nationwide.