Raphael and Camilo to headline RTVE Christmas 2026 music specials on La 1

Festive lineup for La 1

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE announced on 22 September 2026 that singers Raphael and Camilo will headline the upcoming Christmas music specials on flagship channel La 1. Filming for the annual holiday programming commenced on Tuesday in Madrid. Both musicians will lead standalone primetime broadcasts under the network's seasonal banner, La casa de la música. The holiday schedule continues a musical tradition on the public channel that includes the variety format Telepasión, created in 1990 by Javier Caballé, Óscar Gómez, and Jordi García Candau and first hosted by Júlia Otero. Alongside the music galas, comedian José Mota will present his 26th festive special on the network, comprising 18 solo programmes and eight produced alongside Juan Muñoz under the Cruz y Raya comedy duo. Mota's end-of-year show will feature a dedicated musical segment built around Raphael's catalogue.

Raphael marks six decades on public television

Raphael, born Rafael Martos, holds the record for the most appearances on Spanish public television. His broadcast partnership with TVE started in 1965 at age 22, when he performed the Christmas carol El tamborilero. The 2026 special will mark his return to La 1's Christmas lineup four years after his 2022 broadcast, Raphael, de tanta gente. The production will review more than six decades of his musical career alongside guest performers while his Raphaelísimo concert tour continues. Raphael's history includes winning the Benidorm Song Festival in 1962, two Eurovision Song Contest appearances for Spain, and hosting his own network show, El mundo de Raphael. Over his career, he has accumulated more than 300 Gold discs, 50 Platinum discs, and a Uranium disc for selling over 50 million albums worldwide.

Camilo brings Latin pop to holiday slate

Colombian singer-songwriter Camilo will make his debut leading a solo holiday special on Spanish public television. The performer rose to prominence in 2007 at age 13 after winning the Colombian talent show Factor XS, before working for years as a songwriter for pop and urban artists. He launched his solo recording career in 2020 with the debut album Por primera vez and has since released the studio album Para cuando sean mayores. His work has received accolades at the Latin Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Premios Juventud, supported by a dedicated fanbase he terms his tribe. Camilo developed part of the visual identity for his latest album in Spain, where he played his first concert in Murcia following the Covid pandemic, and has recorded collaborations with Karol G, Alejandro Sanz, Pablo Alborán, Selena Gómez, Juanes, and Sebastián Yatra.

“As an artist, Spain has received me in a very generous way.”

Ratings precedent and anniversary programming

RTVE's musical holiday specials serve as cornerstone programming for La 1, building on strong viewership recorded in recent festive periods. During the 2025 holiday season, dedicated music specials for Spanish pop artists Dani Fernández and Abraham Mateo led television ratings with audience shares of 20.3% and 19.2% respectively. The 2026 specials will also provide the finale for TVE's 70th anniversary celebrations, which began on New Year's Eve with seven performances. That initial anniversary broadcast featured the first joint stage appearance of Amaia Montero and La Oreja de Van Gogh after 18 years apart. In addition to his Christmas television performance, Raphael's life will be chronicled in the eight-part biographical series Aquel, scheduled to premiere on Netflix on 9 October 2026.

Dani Fernández special20.3%

Abraham Mateo special19.2%

Dani Fernández special

20.3 %

Abraham Mateo special

19.2 %

Data from the article text