There has been a change of contestant in the Spanish game show 'Pasapalabra'. Following Antonio's departure, his seat has been taken by Javier Alonso, a lawyer and economist from Madrid. During his debut on the program hosted by Roberto Leal, the contestant succeeded in the first round, defeating the previous rival Alejandro. Alonso revealed that if he wins, he would use the prize money for research into rare diseases. The current prize pool in the program is 172 thousand euros.

Lawyer's Winning Debut

Javier Alonso, a Madrid-based lawyer and economist, succeeded in his first appearance on the game show 'Pasapalabra,' defeating the previous contestant Alejandro and taking the place left by Antonio's departure.

Contestant's Financial Plans

When asked by the host what he would do with the main prize, Alonso replied that he is a pragmatist. His first step would be to pay his income tax (IRPF), and then allocate "a large part" of the funds to research on rare diseases.

Contestant's Musical Background

The new contestant revealed that in the past he was a professional tenor and sang opera, and currently plays the piano. He described his television debut as a moment where he feared he might "get goosebumps."

Program Context

The program 'Pasapalabra,' broadcast by Antena 3, is undergoing a period of contestant changes following the recent departure of Manu Pascual and Rosa Rodríguez. The current main prize is 172 thousand euros.

There has been a change among the contestants in the Spanish game show 'Pasapalabra'. In the program aired on Tuesday, February 24, lawyer and economist Javier Alonso made his debut, taking the place left by Antonio's departure. Alonso, who hails from Madrid, defeated the long-standing contestant Alejandro in the first round, achieving an impressive score of 23 correct answers. Host Roberto Leal asked the debutant about his plans for a potential win. Alonso, describing himself as a pragmatic person with "rather prosaic tastes," stated that his first action would be to pay his income tax (IRPF). He then added that "a large part" of the money would be allocated to research on rare diseases, expressing his belief that "the only way people can leave a mark is by trying to improve the lives of others."

The new contestant also revealed his artistic interests. In the past, he was a professional tenor and sang opera, and currently plays the piano for his own pleasure and, as he jokingly added, "for the delight of the neighbors." He spoke about his television debut with nerves, using an operatic comparison: "I was a bit afraid that I might get, using an opera comparison, goosebumps." His performance was compared by the media to the legendary debut of Eduardo Benito on May 8, 2006, who at that time won the third-largest prize in the program's history, amounting to 2.19 million euros.

The program 'Pasapalabra' is the Spanish adaptation of the format 'The Alphabet Game,' which originated in the United Kingdom in the 1990s. In Poland, it is known under the title 'Wheel of Fortune.' Word game shows enjoy great popularity on Spanish television, and 'Pasapalabra' is one of the flagship entertainment programs of the Antena 3 station, broadcast since 2000. The current situation in the program is unstable following the recent departure of other popular contestants, Manu Pascual and Rosa Rodríguez. Alejandro, who remained in the "orange chair," will now face a new challenge in the person of Javier Alonso. The current prize pool to be won is 172 thousand euros. Alonso's debut was assessed by the media as "high-level" and "promising," suggesting he may become a permanent and formidable contestant on the game show.

„Pues a ver, la verdad, yo soy bastante pragmativo y de gustos bastante prosaicos. Entonces no lo tengo pensado. Pero creo que lo primero que haría sería pagar el IRPF.” (Well, let's see, the truth is, I'm quite pragmatic and have rather prosaic tastes. So I haven't really thought about it. But I think the first thing I would do would be to pay the IRPF.) — Javier Alonso

Mentioned People

  • Javier Alonso — Lawyer and economist, new contestant on the game show 'Pasapalabra,' former opera tenor.
  • Roberto Leal — Host of the Spanish program 'Pasapalabra' on Antena 3.
  • Alejandro Ruiz — Contestant on the game show 'Pasapalabra,' rival of Javier Alonso.
  • Antonio — Former contestant on 'Pasapalabra,' defeated by Javier Alonso in the 'Blue Chair.'
  • Manu Pascual — Former contestant on 'Pasapalabra,' who recently left the program.
  • Rosa Rodríguez — Former contestant on 'Pasapalabra,' who recently left the program.
  • Eduardo Benito — Contestant on 'Pasapalabra,' who won one of the largest prizes in the program's history in 2006.