Telecinco launches new daily quiz format

Telecinco launched its new daily game show Rueda la letra on Monday, 7 September 2026 at 19:00, introducing a revamped edition of the circular word game formerly known as El Rosco. Produced by Bulldog TV and presented by Carlos Sobera, the format arrived after Mediaset España secured the rights to the round following a Supreme Court decision that halted its broadcast on rival network Antena 3 on 18 June. The production is directed by Rafa Guardiola, who previously led Pasapalabra during its run on Telecinco. The debut featured former champions Fran González, who won a 1,542,000-euro jackpot in 2019, and Lilit Manukyan, who claimed over 300,000 euros in 2014. Contestants competed for an opening jackpot of 200,000 euros, with an assured 1,200-euro prize for the daily victor if neither completed the panel.

Gameplay mechanics and the modified final round

The show structures gameplay around two competing teams, each pairing a civilian contestant with two celebrity guests. In the premiere, González competed alongside Samantha Vallejo-Nágera and Miguel Ángel Muñoz, while Manukyan teamed with Laura Sánchez and Iván Sánchez. Teams accumulate seconds across five preliminary games titled La Oportunidad, ¡He dicho!, Cantando espero, Con dos palabras, and Palabras Ocultas. For the final round, renamed La Rueda, Manukyan carried 31 seconds from the preliminary rounds and González accumulated 43 seconds, with the program adding 85 supplementary seconds to each total. The concluding segment introduced an adjusted mechanic requiring each contestant to tackle a different 25-letter panel selected at random from concealed envelopes, with the higher-scoring contestant choosing first, while players now utter "paso" instead of the former catchphrase to skip letters.

Audience reception and programming schedule

Broadcast from Mediaset studios in Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, the uninterrupted commercial-free premiere prompted immediate public reaction on social media regarding its resemblance to Pasapalabra. Commentators on platform X pointed to identical camera staging, contestant podiums, lighting, and pacing between the two programs, with several users joking about potential copyright lawsuits from rival broadcaster Atresmedia or ITV Studios. Telecinco scheduled the broadcast in the 19:00 to 20:00 slot to avoid a direct head-to-head clash with Pasapalabra at 20:00, serving as a lead-in to ¡Allá tú!. Studio guests for the launch included previous game show champions Marco Antonio, Paz Herrera, Antonio Ruiz, Sebastián Cárdenas, Susana García, and Nacho Mangut.

Studio handover and production reflections

Sobera addressed the transfer of the format during the broadcast handover with presenter Jorge Javier Vázquez and in conversations with media.

“I am excited and very happy. It is the return of the prodigal son home.”

Sobera also revealed that long-time former host Christian Gálvez sent a congratulatory message wishing him good luck before the first broadcast, while noting he had not spoken with current Pasapalabra presenter Roberto Leal. During media briefings at the Villaviciosa de Odón studios, Sobera described the project as a central programming asset for Mediaset.

“This is the jewel in the crown and for Mediaset it is a very important program for many reasons.”