Starting Friday, Telecinco will move ¡De Viernes! to a later slot and put First Dates at the start of the evening. The change comes as Antena 3 launches a new season of La Voz, which led Friday nights last year with a 13.5% average share and regularly outperformed Telecinco’s own shows. Spanish media reports and the Movistar Plus programming guide for September 14, 2026, list First Dates at 21:50 and ¡De Viernes! at 23:00.
By adding Fridays, Mediaset is turning to one of its most stable shows to face the competition. Hosted by Carlos Sobera, the dating show will now lead into nearly all of Telecinco’s basic evening programs. On Mondays and Wednesdays, it leads into La isla de las tentaciones. Tuesdays bring Supervivientes All Stars. Tierra de Nadie, while Fridays lead into ¡De Viernes!. Only Thursday nights remain unchanged, reserved for the basic Supervivientes All Stars gala. Industry sources, including El Periódico and El Televisero, say the move is meant to "block" Friday nights ahead of La Voz’s return, keeping ¡De Viernes! from going head-to-head with the talent show in the opening slot.
The timing is deliberate. This Friday, Antena 3 brings back La Voz with Eva González and a coaching panel that includes Mika and Lola Índigo, along with Melendi and Pablo López. Last season, La Voz was a tough rival, at one point drawing a 15% share against ¡De Viernes!’s 10.8%, its lowest of the year. Telecinco’s new schedule is designed to keep ¡De Viernes! from starting at the same time as La Voz, letting First Dates take the initial hit from the talent show’s return. El Confidencial has noted that Telecinco has struggled in this slot, with First Dates sometimes drawing only about a 6.5% share, behind other channels.
So, ¡De Viernes! will start about an hour later and run for less time. The goal is to keep Telecinco’s late-night programming competitive while giving First Dates the basic early slot, where audience numbers can swing quickly. The network is relying on its most reliable show as a buffer, hoping to steady viewership before handing off to more vulnerable late-night content. Trade publications say the later start for ¡De Viernes! is meant to catch viewers already "filtered" by the lead-in, potentially limiting the impact of La Voz’s strong start.
Mediaset’s new weekly structure now centers on First Dates. The show has become the anchor of Telecinco’s entire evening schedule. On Mondays and Wednesdays, First Dates leads into La isla de las tentaciones. Tuesdays are paired with Supervivientes All Stars. Tierra de Nadie, while Fridays bring ¡De Viernes!. Only Thursdays are different. The approach is intended to reinforce the network’s prime time and protect its basic shows from rival launches. El Periódico reports that this kind of defensive scheduling is common in Spanish television, where networks aim to retain viewers and limit losses to aggressive competition.
These programming changes are familiar territory for Spanish networks. As reported earlier, broadcasters often adjust their lineups to counter major launches and hold onto their audiences. Telecinco’s current shake-up is a clear example, with the network choosing stability and brand recognition over riskier new formats.
Mediaset’s decision to build its nights around First Dates is cautious but practical. The network is sticking with proven shows to hold its ground against Antena 3’s push. The new Friday lineup will test that strategy against La Voz: if First Dates provides a steady lead-in and keeps Telecinco’s late-night share from slipping further, the plan will have worked. Otherwise, the network may have to rethink its approach to competing for Spain’s prime-time viewers.
