Cristina Pardo Debuts 'La Mesa' on Antena 3 After Twenty Years at La Sexta

Late premiere and studio presentation

Spanish television network Antena 3 premiered its new prime-time weekly talk show, La Mesa, on Wednesday night, marking presenter Cristina Pardo's transition after twenty years at sister channel laSexta. Produced by Buendía Estudios, the inaugural broadcast began between 23:15 and 23:20, roughly twenty minutes behind its announced 23:00 schedule following a rerun of El Hormiguero and a lengthy commercial break. Viewers on social media criticized the late starting time for those waking up early for work, though audience commentary praised the technical production and the calmer tone of the discussion. The set incorporates warm wooden paneling, bookshelves framing a simulated city skyline, and a central smart table featuring an interactive circular screen. Visual directors avoided multi-screen displays and rolling breaking news tickers, relying on clean full-screen compositions and automated lighting adjustments controlled by the desk.

Opening remarks and production design

Pardo began the live transmission by addressing her personal move between Atresmedia networks and explaining the physical premise of the studio. The interactive desk acts as both a video display and a structural guide that interrupts proceedings to transition between segments.

Be lenient because I am a little nervous. We are live and we are on Antena 3, I say that for myself because I had been living in another apartment for 20 years and now I have moved.

The presenter stated that the editorial scope encompasses both high-stakes current affairs and lighter social themes, mirroring everyday discussions that unfold around household tables. Pardo compared the automated desk to the fictional vehicle KITT from Knight Rider, noting that mechanical movements would reveal upcoming guests and cue thematic changes.

Political debates on Ceuta and state affairs

The premiere divided its program into four distinct subject blocks, opening with a focused panel on the situation in Ceuta. Journalist Vicente Vallés joined commentators Javier Nart, Irene Dorta, and former Moncloa chief of staff Iván Redondo to discuss government policy and the institutional role of the Spanish monarchy. Former National Intelligence Centre director Alberto Sáiz joined the conversation via a remote video call to provide intelligence context. Radio host Carlos Alsina subsequently entered the set to participate alongside Vallés and Redondo in an indirect political discussion, answering hypothetical corporate scenarios posed by Pardo despite his reluctance to debate partisan politics directly.

Panel transitions and personal reflections

The second half of the broadcast shifted toward personal narratives and modern culture, beginning with an exploration of the price of public notoriety. Guest Màxim Huerta shared personal experiences about political disappointment, calling Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez a cheat, and recalled being handed a resume the morning after a romantic breakup. Upon joining the panel, Huerta asked to switch chairs to avoid sitting in the seat previously occupied by Redondo. The premiere concluded with a fourth block examining social media dynamics and fast financial gains before closing the broadcast without heated crosstalk.