A man with glasses gesturing in the foreground, in the background a building with the TV3 logo and a smiling face emoji with dollar signs in its eyes and tongue.

The new Ricard Ustrell: this is how Jordi Évole will get paid by TV3

The amount Évole will pocket might outrage you

TV3 is preparing a deep renewal of its programming for 2026, and it's doing so with some names that've made history in Catalan television. One of the most striking returns is Jordi Évole, who's moving from being an occasional collaborator to taking on the role of producer with a new format of his own.

Évole's new show will be titled El doble, although not many details are known yet about its structure. It has been confirmed that it'll be a show produced by his own company, and that it'll arrive on Catalan screens during the next season. His return is part of a renewal process that aims to reactivate interest in the morning and current affairs slot of public television.

Three names that defined an era in their return to the line-up

But Évole isn't coming back alone. Alongside him, Bibiana Ballbé and the company T de Teatre are also returning, known for their innovative character and their impact on audiences from past generations. Ballbé, for example, will host Bestial, an interview show that refers back to her previous Bestiari Il·lustrat, a format broadcast on Canal 33 where Catalan alternative culture was explored.

A man with glasses in front of the FC Barcelona crest and an empty stadium in the background.
Jordi Évole and Barça's crest in a montage | F.C. Barcelona, La Sexta, XCatalunya

Meanwhile, the actresses of T de Teatre are returning with a new series titled Temps real, a fiction that will address the day-to-day of modern life through comedy. After the success of Jet lag, their return has been celebrated on social media by many nostalgic viewers who were demanding a greater presence of quality fiction in Catalan.

Support from the Generalitat drives new formats

These returns wouldn't be possible without the backing of the Conselleria de Cultura, which through a public call in March invited production companies to submit innovative projects. The call has recently been solved, resulting in the selection of eight formats for 2026.

Montage with an image of TV3 executives and in the upper left corner, within a circle, Jordi Évole being interviewed
Jordi Évole and the 3cat awards gala in a montage | ACN, TV3, XCatalunya

Among the selected projects are also less well-known names, such as the documentary series Hristo, el indomable, from the production company Abacus, which would address the life of Hristo Stòitxkov, a Barça icon from the nineties. This same production company will also produce the third season of Jo mai mai, a youth fiction.

The multiplatform commitment keeps growing

TV3 has also renewed other shows that've performed well on online platforms, such as Club tàndem, dedicated to Catalan literature and presented by Juliana Canet and Marina Porras. In addition, the musical talent show Zenit, from Lavinia Group, will continue, with a second season set to premiere after capturing much of the younger audience.

At the same time, other shows like Eufòria have also confirmed their renewal through independent channels such as YouTube. This multiplatform expansion confirms that TV3 is seeking to compete not only on DTT, but also in the digital arena.

The figure that explains the signings: a multimillion-euro investment

In total, the call promoted by the Generalitat has funded these eight selected projects. This is a key financial injection to revitalize Catalan audiovisual content and allow the return of key figures in the industry. The amount invested by the Govern, finally revealed, amounts to 4 million euros, distributed among all participating production companies. A clear sign that TV3 wants to become an audiovisual benchmark again.