Where are the faces of TV3's first contests today?

BarcelonaSince the times of FiliprimTV3 has enjoyed a long string of game shows that have become etched in the collective memory. ARA takes a look back at some of the stars who gained popularity thanks to this format during the public channel's early years and details how they continued their professional careers once they were no longer on screen.

Francesca Fosalba

The passage of time has made this historic TV3 contest, Filiprim, already has many losses among its ranks. Its two presenters, Josep Maria Bachs and Jordi Estadella, have left us, as well as its most iconic collaborators, such as the manager who was given soul by the actor Jaume Sorribas, the grandfather who played Llàtzer Escarceller, the astrologer Joaquim Teixidor, and the cartoonist Jaume Perich. Also, a good number of its original scriptwriters, such as Tom and Romeu, who came from graphic humor, have already passed away. From that first broadcast, in 1986, there is one notable survivor: Francesca Fosalba. After Filiprim jumped to Catalunya Ràdio, in the program Free buffet, also led by Bachs. She was the face of the first Three Kings' Parades and the New Year's Eve chimes of 1986, as well as the program coordinator. Millennium, presented by Ramon Colom. From there, Fosalba made the leap into politics: the PSC (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) recruited her to head the list in the 2003 municipal elections. Despite receiving the most votes, a pact between groups meant she didn't win the mayoralty until the following elections, in 2007. During her term, she experienced an incident: three minors were kicked and the man fell to the ground. The complications resulting from the blow led to his death after a week in hospital. In 2011, Fosalba ran for reelection, but was unsuccessful and eventually resigned from the PSC.

The Vicenteta

A very young Antoni Bassas took the helm of one of the iconic competitions of the original TV3. Among the cast of comedians who hosted the competitions, one enjoyed particular success: Cesc Queralt, better known for his character Vicenteta, who, armed with his distinct Valencian accent and picturesque clothing and makeup, cracked traditional jokes. Beyond his television work, Queralt has excelled as a trainer of actors. In 1977, he founded the Barcelona School of Actors, where he taught acting, improvisation, comedy, and cabaret.

TV3's Marató wanted to briefly bring Vicenteta back to the screen. It was 2011, and there was an obvious reason for doing so: Queralt took off his wig and wanted to explain how he had undergone a liver transplant.

Plaster and Murga

They went in pairs and were the two assistants of the Three peaks and a chirp, Although the duo Guix and Murga also added humor to their supporting work. The duo transcended that competition and collaborated on several TV3 programs, especially in special galas, the parades and also during a stage in theone two three when Jordi Estadella presented it. Miquel Murga remains involved in the theater. After the artistic partnership dissolved at the turn of the century, he directed several comedies, such as The game of truth either Do you understand me or should I tell you? He also worked at Catalunya Ràdio, COM and Ràdio 4.

Meanwhile, Xavier Guix left the theater for good and decided to resume his psychology studies. And with notable success: he is a frequent lecturer, who draws on all the communicative experience of his years in television and on stage, and has retrained as a primary psychologist and coach of various media and programs, such as RAC1 version By Toni Clapés. He has published fifteen books, and the motto on his website could be applied to anyone: "Know and reinvent yourself!"

Charli Diego

The game of the century It was a cultural competition that emerged from the imagination of Joaquim Maria Puyal, only this time he preferred the discreet job of being behind the cameras and handing over the presenting duties to Xarli Diego. Coming from music radio, this Terrassa native had already gained experience on TV3, hosting a few episodes of the Three peaks and a chirp when Antoni Bassas was on sick leave due to hepatitis, and he also presented the 6/49 draws. AfterThe game of the centuryHis career took an unexpected path: he became a communications advisor for various Catalan government ministers during the CiU era, in the departments of Justice, Interior, and Government, with Núria de Gispert among the ministers with whom he worked most closely, serving as communications director from his advisory position. From his corporate communications agency, he took charge of the press for the company El Tricicle and the Gaudí catwalk, among others. In a telephone conversation with this newspaper, he quipped: "I must not be too clever or very intelligent, but I've worked with those who are already intelligent for me, such as writing scripts for Rosa Maria Sardà or La Trinca, or for the maestro Puyal."

Diego is 68 years old, but still active. In recent years he has published three books (Thanks for the music, A million things and Jump through the door and enter through the window) and maintains the podcast about Ancient Rome Cave hemp, beware of the dog, where he mixes stories about this period with his sense of humor.

Mr. Davies

Eyes bulging out of their sockets, prominent teeth in a wide smile, and a distinctive cry: "Attention!"The game of the century His name was Julian Grange Davies, but for Catalonia, he was simply Mr. Davies. Born in present-day Malabo, he was proud of being the first black person to speak Catalan on TV3 (although Guillermo de Efak could probably dispute that honor). In any case, at that time it was still exotic to simply see a racialized person, and, along with Regina Do Santos and Lucrecia, he was part of the triad that broke the prevailing whiteness, both on television and in the country.

Trained as a singer and later pursuing a career as a model, before signing for TV3 he opened a modeling school, a modeling agency, and an acting school, all with his name. When he finished his time at The game of the century, the business declined and eventually closed. Mr. Davies died prematurely, aged 59, in December 2011.

Miquel Chan

Mr. Davies' replacement was not as famous, but when he returned to the newspapers, he did so with a bang. Chung Chan, known as Miquel Chan, took over the banking duties in the second term ofThe game of the century. At the same time, he ran a Chinese restaurant on Buenos Aires Street in Barcelona. In 1997, when the program was already a distant memory, his name appeared as the protagonist of a police operation in which a gang that defrauded two thousand people by cloning their credit cards was dismantled. The officers arrested five people, one of them Miquel Chan, who used his extensive computer knowledge to create a sophisticated installation that allowed cards to be duplicated. The chronicle of The Vanguard of the time noted: "It was a Chinese job," one of the agents involved in the operation stated yesterday, with no pun intended. The way he was caught was also picturesque, according to the newspaper: using one of those fake cards in a brothel, when they asked him for the card, they didn't ask him for any documentation proving the cardholder and only required him to write down his NIE (Tax Identification Number) on the back of the receipt. In the euphoria of the moment, Chan seriously wrote down his number. The latest news places Chan back in China, where he has successfully opened another restaurant, presumably now without tricks for customers' Visa cards.

The Bossy Sisters

Salvador Alsius presented the contest Black or white, which interviewed a celebrity each week. Also present were sisters Maria and Sandra Bossy, two teenage-looking twins with dimples in their cheeks, who assisted the contestants. Their age was a mystery—they looked younger than their 20s—and as an artistic couple, they had a career as singers and dancers. Maria Bossy recalls that their popularity was instantaneous and that if they were in pairs, they were instantly recognizable, so that when they wanted some peace and quiet, they chose to travel on different subway cars. Their lives ran parallel for many years, and shortly after leaving the show, they both moved to London, where they stayed for about 15 years and found their respective partners. Maria met her husband when he was attending tap dancing classes as a hobby and she did some training. In Sandra's case, she did a number at the Odeon cinema before screening The Lion King, where she played the Little Mermaid and appeared floating, swimming through the air. A technician was supposed to capture her in flight: it ended up being her husband, who caught her... literally. They also had children in London: three Marias, one Sandra. After years of parenting, it was time to return. Sandra stopped dancing at 30 and is now the author of her own songs and has a musical project called Morningblind. Maria still dances and sings, and her voice comes through clearly and enthusiastically on the other end of the phone: "I'm a teacher at different centers and I've choreographed several shows, like when I created the tap dance of Gypsy", by Antonio Banderas. Dancing remains my passion."