"My Vote Will Continue to Be for Pedro Sánchez"

Aged 55, Jorge Javier Vázquez asserts that his ideological stance has not changed at any point. The popular presenter, born in Badalona, combines his interest in political current affairs with Telecinco's reality shows or listening to those anonymous individuals on 'Jorge's Diary' who help us escape reality. He admits, however, that his passion for celebrity gossip waned after the end of 'Sálvame'. "My mind was exhausted and saturated," he confesses.

-How do you see the new edition of 'Big Brother'?

-I understand it should do well because a year has passed, the format hasn't been overused, it's been allowed to rest, and there's no reason it shouldn't do well from one year to the next. It would be strange if it didn't. It seems people are still eager for the show. But of course, there's the uncertainty of seeing how it performs.

-Don't you feel you can fit in and play more with celebrities than with anonymous people?

-I don't think so, because on 'Jorge's Diary' they aren't celebrities, they're anonymous, and on 'There's Something I Want to Tell You' as well, but the ratings that 'Survivors' has, neither 'Big Brother' nor I can achieve. Moreover, since 'Sálvame' ended, I've been quite disconnected from the celebrity world, and it's increasingly difficult for me to follow the plots of well-known figures.

-Have you been distancing yourself from the life of Pantoja and those kinds of plots?

-No, but I think my mind was exhausted and quite saturated. I've completely disconnected, but due to saturation, it's not a matter of snobbery or disdain. I started almost 25 years ago. So, there comes a time when you see there's nothing more to gain there.

-More distanced from celebrity gossip, do you see yourself in a current affairs format?

-Look, I'm a consumer, but I'm very happy not to have to participate in any current affairs program right now. Because it's something I wouldn't like.

-You say you do consume current affairs. What did you think of Carlos Mazón's resignation?

-I'm absolutely hooked on that. To me, Mazón's statement honours his entire trajectory since the day of the dana. I found it shameful and humiliating for the victims. I think he's a rather despicable character and what he's done is solely prepare his defence, which is the only thing that has mattered to him. The victims still don't matter to him, he made a statement without any self-criticism, shifting responsibilities, not assuming any, hiding behind rumours, and I think it's the clear example of what politics shouldn't be.

-What political programs do you follow?

-Well, I dabble. I get up every morning at six and read all the newspapers and digital outlets and such, but I also do it with television programs, to have a broad view. I'm very up to date with everything.

-And why do you think the audience has disconnected from celebrity gossip and moved to political talk shows?

-I think there are no longer any gripping characters. We're living politics as if it were a reality show. Something happens at every moment because politicians, all of them, are entering this dynamic of "I do, I answer, I respond, I fight...". That's inevitable, it has us hooked because it's like a TV series. Meanwhile, the landscape of celebrity figures is very worn out. There's no plot that particularly grabs your attention. I think society's perspective has also changed a lot. Before, celebrity gossip had a lot of impact because there was the concept of scandal. We were scandalised by what a celebrity did, whether they hooked up with one person or broke up with another, and now that, fortunately, no longer grabs our attention.

-Are we no longer surprised by anything? Have we seen it all?

-When the concept of scandal disappears, it makes no sense. I think celebrity gossip is losing its essence. It used to grab our attention. Celebrity gossip is hard to frame. I'm convinced that this type of information will continue to be of interest. I think we're currently in an absolutely flat period, but whoever finds the key - which must exist - will find a goldmine there. People who know how to find the new celebrity gossip will find a goldmine there. Maybe we also needed a fallow period because we've overused it and people were perhaps saturated.

-Returning to TV and political current affairs. What do you think of TVE's shift in this regard?

-Well, I understand that if it's doing well, then it should continue down that path, I completely understand.

-Has TVE been politicised to the left?

-I think TVE has managed to find an orphaned viewer who couldn't find a place on other types of networks. And they've done it very well and have known how to find them. And that should be applauded.

-Do you still think the same ideologically?

-My ideological position hasn't changed at all. I'm still in the same place, with the same people, at the same time. My vote will continue to be for Pedro Sánchez because I like having a progressive government and, above all, it even scares me to think about what it could be like to have a PP and Vox government, given the latest polls. I think we also have to value how we live now, with the freedoms we have, what we've achieved, and what's at risk. Many times we also take for granted that freedoms exist and will always exist, but maybe that's not the case.