The television career of Rafa Castaño, one of Spain’s most renowned quiz champions, took an unexpected turn and ended just as abruptly. The Seville intellectual, who gained fame for his historic victory on the show “Pasapalabra”, left his new project, “Agárrate al sillón”, broadcast on Telecinco. His departure, staged as a loss in the final challenge, sparked widespread questions among viewers, but now Castaño himself has shed light on the real reasons behind his decision.
The incident occurred on the September 22 broadcast, when Rafa lost to his opponent named Héctor. After his defeat, Castaño offered the new champion a share of his prize money in exchange for taking his place. Many interpreted this gesture as a planned exit. Later, the quizzer confirmed these suspicions but dismissed rumors that he deliberately threw the match or was simply tired of filming. He praised his opponent’s performance and stressed his appreciation for fair wins and losses.
The real reason turned out to be much more pragmatic. Castaño explained that his life circumstances had changed dramatically. Back during his success on “Pasapalabra,” he didn’t have a permanent job and could devote himself fully to preparing for the games, but now the situation is different. “My job is my priority,” he stressed. To participate in filming the new show, he had to use his vacation days, which eventually ran out. He knew he would have to leave sooner or later, and decided to do so at the first loss, offering the winner a symbolic sum. That’s exactly what happened: instead of the 25,000 euros he had conceded in previous cases, this time he offered just 5,000.
The intellectual also added that he was upfront with the producers from the very beginning. He warned the team that he wouldn’t be able to stay on the project for long due to professional commitments. According to him, the show’s creators were understanding of his situation and respected his decision. Agreeing to participate in “Agárrate al sillón” was largely due to a stroke of luck: the offer came in the summer, during a period of lower workload, which allowed him to take several days off in a row. Thus, Rafa Castaño’s brief return to television screens was more of an interesting summer adventure than a new chapter in his TV career.
