Peruvian television presenter Magaly Medina has questioned the decision to remove Ethel Pozo from the Teletón 2026 charity broadcast following comments Pozo made about her co-hosts.
During a recent broadcast of her show Magaly TV, la firme, Medina called the explanation given by event management a ridiculous excuse and criticized organizers for letting television rivalries dictate participation in a humanitarian campaign.
According to Medina, Pozo had been slated to serve as one of the main anchor presenters for the annual event. However, Pozo was informed by event leadership that she would not be participating this year because of negative remarks she previously made regarding her colleagues on the morning program América Hoy.
Medina expressed disbelief that conflict between television personalities could lead to an anchor being dropped from a charitable cause. She said organizers were now removing primary presenters over cheap alleyway gossip, calling the situation unprecedented.
Gisela Valcárcel and the Teletón legacy
Pozo is the daughter of veteran Peruvian TV star and producer Gisela Valcárcel, widely known across Peru as La Señito. For decades, Valcárcel has served as the dominant public face and lead organizer of the Peruvian Teletón, an annual televised campaign raising money for pediatric care and rehabilitation at the Clínica San Juan de Dios.
Drawing a comparison between Pozo's removal and her mother's history with the broadcast, Medina said Valcárcel had controlled the event for years as though she owned it. She said Valcárcel consistently determined which hosts received prime coverage and who was relegated to unfavorable timeslots.
Medina stated that Valcárcel always decided who opened the broadcast, who closed the show, and who was assigned to the 2:00 a.m. shift when virtually no viewers were watching. She suggested that Pozo's sudden exclusion reflects the same treatment Valcárcel had inflicted on other broadcasters for years.
Charity campaign faces scrutiny
Medina further claimed that the annual telethon was never a purely selfless campaign to assist the children treated by the San Juan de Dios health network. She asserted that the event has always revolved around personal ego, regardless of whether Valcárcel admits it, adding that Valcárcel's family was now experiencing what she had done to others.
The controversy highlights longstanding rivalries within Peruvian entertainment television. Pozo co-hosts the morning variety program América Hoy on América Televisión, while Medina hosts her daily celebrity commentary show Magaly TV, la firme on ATV. The annual Teletón remains one of Peru's largest broadcast events, raising funds to support children receiving medical care at San Juan de Dios hospital facilities.
