Javier Ruiz's departure shakes up La 1's lineup

BarcelonaSpanish Television has already decided how it will face the autumn when a new competitor to its left, La7, will emerge, having lured away one of its star presenters, Javier Ruiz. As confirmed by the network, the program Mañaneros 360 will remain on air, but with new hosts: Jesús Cintora jumps from the daily program Malas lenguas and lands in this midday format, accompanied by Adela González and Miriam Moreno. Of course, the journalist doesn't completely leave the format, as he will remain as presenter of Malas lenguas noche, the longer version that airs on La 2 on Saturday nights.

The weekday edition, during these holidays, has been under the baton of Gonzalo Miró and Ane Ibarzabal. From August 31st, however, only he will continue and Ibarzabal will be replaced by two journalists: Esther Palomera (who will combine this task with the role of deputy director of Eldiario.es) and Ana Hinestrosa, from Canal Sur. Palomera will lead the segment of the program that airs on La 2 between 5:45 PM and 7:30 PM, more focused on political current affairs. Hinestrosa, on the other hand, will take on the segment of La 1, between 7:35 PM and 8:25 PM, where events and social chronicles dominate the schedule.

Silvia Intxaurrondo, for her part, continues to open the morning on Spanish public television from this Monday with La hora de La 1, after two months of vacation during which she sued RTVE over her contract, which raised doubts about her continuity. During this time, Álex Barreiro has been co-presenter alongside Aída Bao, but now returns to edit and present the morning edition of Telediario.

The musical chairs also affect Directo al grano, another political current affairs magazine presented by Marta Flich and Gonzalo Miró. With the latter on secondment to Malas lenguas, another host had to be found. The solution involves relying on Martín Barreiro, who has taken on these tasks during the summer weeks. Known for being one of the weather men on La 1, he has been asked to continue accompanying Flich indefinitely, while awaiting a decision on whether another co-presenter will be appointed and he can return to focusing on isobars and anticyclones.

Leadership at stake

In the remaining months of 2026, a fierce battle will be fought between La 1 and Antena 3 to become the most-watched television of the year. Since 2022, when it took the lead from Telecinco, which had held the top spot for a decade, Atresmedia's first channel has managed to finish each December as the most-watched channel of the year. And during the first five months of this year, it was still doing so, although La 1 was breathing down its neck and just a few tenths of a point behind. The celebration of the World Cup, however, was a godsend for the public broadcaster's aspirations: both in June and especially in July, it dominated, thanks to the good results of the Spanish team, which ended up being crowned champions. This means that, as of now, in the annual tally, La 1 is ahead of its private rival by about six tenths of a point.