The mainstay hosts of Eat Bulaga!—Vic Sotto, Tito Sotto, and Joey de Leon or better known as TVJ—announced their departure from the company behind the longest-running noontime variety show, TAPE Inc.

TVJ made the emotional announcement in a video released online on Wednesday, May 31. 

Tito Sotto started by revealing that they went to the studio for work, but were not allowed by the management to go on air. 

“Pumasok po kami lahat ngayong araw para makapagtrabaho pero hindi po kami pinayagang umere ng management ng live,” Tito said. 

Joey de Leon, on the other hand, expressed his gratitude to the TV stations that served as the home of Eat Bulaga! for the past four decades, including ABS-CBN. 

“Kung matatandaan niyo po, July 30 ng 1979 nang simulan namin ang Eat Bulaga! 44 years na po ito. Kaya naman lubos ang aming pasasalamat sa lahat ng aming mga naging tahanan. Unang-una po sa RPN9 for nine years, ang ABS-CBN for six years, at ang GMA for 28 years. Dalawampu’t-walong taon. Thank you very much,” Joey stated. 

Vic Sotto, for his part, thanked the advertisers who supported them throughout the years. 

“Nagpapasalamat din kami sa lahat ng advertisers mula 1979 na nagmahal, nagtiwala, at sumuporta sa amin,” Vic said. 

Tito went on to thank the public — dubbed Dabarkads — for being there for them from the very start as well as one of the owners of TAPE Inc., Tony Tuviera. 

“Ganun din po sa inyo, mga Dabarkads, sa mga manonood sa inyong pagmamahal sa programang naging bahagi ng inyong tanghalian. Lubos din ang aming pasasalamat kay Mr. Tony Tuviera sa pagkakaibigan at sa pagiging bahagi ng aming pamilya. At higit sa lahat, sa Panginoong Diyos dahil hindi niya kami pinabayaan,” Tito Sen said. 

Vic said that all they are wishing for is to work with peace and respect towards one another, before making the announcement about their departure. 

“Hindi na po namin iisa-isahin ang mga laman ng aming mga puso at aming damdamin. Ang hiling lang po namin ay makapagtrabaho ng mapayapa, walang ma-aagrabayado, at may respeto sa bawat isa,” he remarked. 

“Simula ngayong araw, May 31, 2023, kami po ay magpapaalam na sa TAPE Inc. Karangalan po namin na kami ay nakapaghatid ng tuwa’t-saya mula Batanes hanggang Jolo at naging bahagi ng mga buhay ninyo,” Vic added. “Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.” 

While TVJ has yet to make an official statement about the future of the show, they promised that fans can expect the happiness and joy to continue wherever they may go.

“Hanggang sa muli. Saan man kami dalhin ng tadhana, tuloy ang isa’t-libong isang tuwa,” he said.