Eat Bulaga premiered in July 30, 1979 on Radio Philippines Network at Broadcast City, Diliman, Quezon City.
RPN outsourced the idea to TAPE. At that time, comic troika Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon were the most popular movie comedians. They were hired together with Chiqui Hollman and Richie Reyes (aka Richie d' Horsie) as co-hosts.
The TV program innovated numerous concepts on Philippine television which were copied by rival TV programs. It moved from one station to another without losing its TV audience. Moreover, it is consistently recognized with awards from the local and foreign press and other organizations.
In 1989 due to the sequestration of RPN, the show moved to ABS-CBN along with other TAPE-produced shows (Aguila, Coney Reyes on Camera and Okay ka Fairy Ko) and helped strengthen the network's programming. The premiere telecast of Eat Bulaga on their new home was on February 18, 1989 and for this momentous event, the show was staged at the Araneta Coliseum.
The show once again moved to another network, this time on GMA Network due to the fact that ABS-CBN wanted to buy the airing rights of "Eat Bulaga" from TAPE, Inc. When the group led by Tony Tuviera and Malou Choa-Fagar reneged on the proposed deal, the Kapamilya Network kicked "Bulaga" and its sister show, "Valiente" from its roster of shows and decided to produce its own noontime show ('Sang Linggo nAPO Sila). "Eat Bulaga" premiered on GMA on January 21, 1995. Incidentally it was also held at the Araneta Coliseum.
Eat Bulaga! celebrated its 25th year on television on October 2004 in the Expo Amphitheater in Clarkfield, Angeles City, Pampanga, making it the longest-running television show in the Philippines. The television special was attended by an estimated 60,000 spectators and enjoyed the highest daytime TV rating in the Philippines. The special was cited as winner in the Asian Television Awards in Singapore on December 1, 2005. The said event was also hailed as the most successful television event on Philippine TV and was narrowly matched only by the 1st. Starstruck Final Judgement.
On December 2004, the contract to air the show on GMA Network was extended until December 29, 2009.
Over the years, there has been talk that "Eat Bulaga" will transfer back to ABS-CBN or move to Associated Broadcasting Company (ABC) every time their blocktime contract with GMA Network expired (2002 and 2004) but in the previous interviews, GMA executives led by Atty. Felipe Gozon and Jimmy Duavit have expressed their desire to keep the show for as long as they can. Main host Joey de Leon on the other hand, is also considered as an important factor to "Bulaga"'s stay in GMA since he has been fiercely loyal to the station and his efforts have been rewarded. He is considered as a key asset to the Kapuso Network.
Eat Bulaga is considered by many as an institution because they have made many big stars out of many newcomers, also because it has been identified as a Filipino way of life as described by Tony Tuviera when they defeated MTV's Tsunami aid special on the Asian Television awards.
In 2006, the SexBomb Girls was out from the show due of some misunderstanding.
In January 2007, Gladys Guevarra resigned from the show, the reason for her departure is that she must undergo therapy. Though Eat Bulaga has been outrated many times by their competitors they still regains their lead in the ratings race a very strong proof of their might as an institution.
In 2007, Eat Bulaga was partially beaten in Mega Manila ratings by the rival show Wowowee, but they still remained unfazed by this because their ratings had just kicked backed and the high ratings of Wowowee is not consistent. However, this scenario is in Mega Manila area only. According to the latest AGB Nielsen Media Research Corporation Nationwide Urban TV Audience Measurement covering March 4-17, Wowowee leads the noontime pack in the whole country with 27.7% of audience share leaving Eat Bulaga with only 13% Nationwide. Moreover, Eat Bulaga still remained unfazed by this because the ratings for Mega Manila are the basis of advertisers since they are based in Mega Manila.
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