Àngels Barceló has moved back to Catalonia after nearly thirty years in Madrid, citing an increasingly hostile atmosphere in the capital. The former Cadena SER host now seeks a quieter life in Maresme while maintaining her professional ties.
Àngels Barceló packed up and left Madrid. She now lives on the Maresme coast, officially registered again in Catalonia. For almost thirty years, she called the Spanish capital home. That ended this summer. Barceló told betevé and El Periódico that she had lived in Madrid since 1997 but "did not want to grow old" there. That feeling pushed her to return to Catalonia.
Her move followed her exit from «Hoy por hoy», Cadena SER’s flagship morning show. She stepped down in June. The program was at its peak, drawing the biggest radio audience in Spain. But the cost was high. Years of daily live radio wore her down. Barceló now calls the show a “shredder.” She points to chronic lack of sleep, constant tension, and the weight of responsibility. It became too much. Lecturas and Mundo Deportivo both confirm she said goodbye to the show on June 11, 2026. She spent more than twenty years at Cadena SER, with her run on "Hoy por hoy" from 2019 to 2026.
Barceló has stated that she does not intend to completely cut ties with Madrid, emphasizing that her move is about changing her daily base rather than a total break from the capital.
Barceló spoke openly on «Bàsics» (betevé). She said her years in Madrid outnumbered those in Barcelona. Still, she never saw Madrid as the place to grow old. “I always said it wasn’t the city where I wanted to age, and I was aging,” she admitted. The city’s pace and mood never fit her. She felt out of step.
Her criticism of Madrid is sharp. Barceló calls the city “very hostile.” She says this feeling has grown as right-wing and far-right parties gained power in the City Council and regional government. “There is a hostile climate. It’s not pleasant,” she says. For her, leaving was about more than comfort. It was about the city’s changing politics and mood. La Vanguardia and Mundo Deportivo both report that Barceló directly linked her decision to the rise of these political forces. She believes Madrid has become less welcoming in recent years.
But she is not cutting Madrid off. Barceló says she will keep her professional and personal ties to the city. This is a change in daily life, not a total break. Her new home in Maresme gives her the calm she wanted. It’s a sharp contrast to Madrid’s intensity. She mentions the sea and her emotional connection to Barcelona as reasons for feeling more at home. Even so, she admits Barcelona has its own problems with traffic and getting around.
Several Spanish publications have reported that Barceló is being considered for new media projects, including a possible move to the upcoming La Séptima channel, though no official announcement has been made and these remain unconfirmed rumors.
Barceló did not pick central Barcelona. She chose the quieter Maresme area. She found cheaper housing there before, and life moves slower. This move comes with a rare break in her career. For the first time since her early twenties, she is free from daily live radio. She can set her own schedule. She is rediscovering life outside the news cycle. That’s new for her.
She has strong views on political interviews. Barceló says she grew tired of politicians dodging questions or avoiding real answers. This added to her fatigue with public debate. The pressure of her old job and her frustration with politics pushed her to step back. Now, she is focused on her own well-being. She wants distance from the daily grind.
Barceló is not the only public figure to step away after a high-profile career. As reported earlier, others have left their posts under pressure and as politics shifted.
Her move from Madrid to Maresme is both personal and symbolic. It shows how a city’s mood—and its politics—can push even the most established residents to leave. Barceló’s story shows how personal life and public atmosphere now mix in Spain. For those at the center of national debate, finding a more livable, real space is not just a retreat. It’s a statement. Sometimes, you have to walk away.
