The media split between Peyu and Jair Domínguez has shaken Catalan airwaves. The emblematic show El búnquer, which combined sharp humor and educational content, is closing for good after five successful seasons. Behind this outcome are abrupt changes in Catalunya Ràdio's programming and tensions arising from the new direction the station will take starting in September.
The end of an era: how did the crisis start?
The trigger was management's decision to move El búnquer from its usual nighttime slot, between 9 and 10 p.m., to midday, between 1 and 2 p.m. (13 and 14 h), as a strategy to attract a larger audience in a "protected" time slot. It was then that Jair Domínguez expressed his disagreement on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he hadn't signed off on the change and calling it "disastrous." He defended the soul of the nighttime show: its atmosphere, creative freedom, and irreverent tone.
Although both collaborators initially continued, after a final schedule clash marked by tension, Peyu, the show's producer and the person responsible for its continuity, decided to close this chapter. CCMA backed a new format focused on Peyu, without Jair or Neus Rossell.
The announcement and the team's reaction
In early July, Peyu publicly confirmed the renewal of his contract with Catalunya Ràdio and TV3 to launch La Renaixença, a hybrid transmedia space for radio, podcast, and video that will go on air September 1, after El Matí de Ricard Ustrell, and will also be broadcast on 3Cat and channel 33. His project combines humor, culture, and heritage, inviting reflection through monologues, interviews, and fictional capsules in an atmosphere reminiscent of 19th-century cafés.
Meanwhile, the trio of comedians will embark on a farewell stage tour: "El búnquer confidencial." It will be a live send-off that will visit Catalan theaters and keep the camaraderie between Peyu, Jair, and Neus, without microphones or corporate guidelines.
Jair Domínguez defends his legacy but acknowledges new challenges
Interviewed by SER Catalunya, Jair said he was proud to close "El búnquer" at its peak. He highlighted the creative freedom they experienced, and acknowledged that, although they clashed with management, there hadn't been any voluntary censorship or intent to offend: "hem fet el que ens ha donat la gana" cadenaser.com. He also revealed that his childhood, shaped by his humor and people with ADHD, prepared him to think differently.
This commitment drives him to explore new paths, whether with literary or stage projects, continuing a creative journey that now must be redefined outside the format that launched him to success.
His future after El Búnquer
With the arrival of La Renaixença, Catalunya Ràdio is dressing up for the new season, emphasizing the importance of cultural outreach in prime time. Even without Jair and Neus, Peyu is betting on an innovative space with a 19th-century flair, and aims to establish itself as transmedia. From this moment on, the questions are clear:
Will this product manage to replace the irreverent aura of "El búnquer"? Will we see a new duo take up the baton in future shows? By closing such a beloved chapter, Catalunya Ràdio is opening up a range of questions for the audience who enjoyed Peyu and Domínguez's intelligent and critical humor.