24 oras magpa-patrol ang Willing Willie

First, the revelation:

As you must have guessed from the slightly blurred picture that came out in this corner yesterday, yes, Willie Revillame’s “mystery” lady co-host on his two-week-old TV5 show Willing Willie is none other than Valenzuela City Councilor Shalani Soledad who will take a bow in tonight’s edition of the show. It will be a full-time job for her, Monday thru Friday at 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 5 to 7 p.m.

Will she still have time to attend to her duties as konsehala? It remains to be seen. Daily TV-hosting is very demanding, you know.

TV Patrol hosts (from left) Ted Failon, Kabayan Noli de Castro and Korina Sanchez

 It’s interesting to find out how the sweet and shy Shalani will turn out as a TV host. Will she come out of her shell, loosen up considerably, unloose her tongue, “re-invent” herself (to her rescue, please, Liz Uy!) and swing to the beat of the two-hour show? Or will she be hosting a segment that fits her mahinhin image?

Funfare Update learned that Willie did try to enlist Miss Universe-Philippines (that’s how she must be known henceforth) Venus Raj but the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) obviously didn’t give her the go-signal. Venus is under contract and in the care of the BPCI for one year.

Shalani’s entry coincided with the revamp of the ABS-CBN early-evening newscast TV Patrol (now minus World), bumping off Karen Davila (who has remained incommunicado) and Julius Babao (still vacationing with his family in Japan) but retaining Ted Failon as main host together with Balik-Patrol hosts Korina Sanchez and Kabayan Noli de Castro.

For sure, GMA’s 24 Oras, also on the same timeslot, won’t be left behind. Watch out what “surprises” hosts Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco are going to spring on televiewers.

As I’ve been saying, both TV Patrol and 24 Oras have been airing even after 8 p.m. depending on the load for a long time now, and not, as per speculations, because they are keeping up with Willing Willie which has dislodged TV5’s Aksyon newscast hosted by Paolo Bediones and Cheryl Cosim, making them so “disposable.”

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