Akiko Wada, 75, a singer and host of the long-running TBS information variety show “Akko ni Omakase! (Sundays at 11:45), hosted by singer Akiko Wada (75), will end its 40-year history in March 2026, it was announced on April 2. Wada himself announced the news. (Photo: “Would you call me on the day of your divorce?”Akashiya Sanma gave Akiko Wada a tit-for-tat. At the ending of the show, a close-up of Wada’s face was shown, and she said, “‘Akko ni Omakase! celebrated its 40th anniversary last month. I wanted to make a firm closure in my own way regarding this program,” he began. I thought this would be the best timing for me to reach my goal of 40th anniversary, so I will end the program in March next year,” he announced in a blitz. I am deeply grateful to the staff, the regulars, and most of all to the viewers who tuned in on Sunday noon. The program had just aired a two-hour special program on October 5 to commemorate its 40th anniversary. The program was originally “Yu YOU Sunday!” hosted by Wada and Itiro Furudate from October 1984. In April 1985, the title was changed to “Akko Furudate no Ah! I told you so,” and on October 6 of the same year, it became “Akko ni Omakase! started on October 6 of the same year. Wada was 35 years old at the time, and for the next 40 years he was the face of TBS Sunday afternoon programs. His male partner, Takashi Matsuo, started as the host, then Hiroshi Ikushima and Yoshitake Tanaka took over, and in October 1993, Ryuta Mine took over as host. For the next 32 years, the famous duo of Wada and Mine has been running the program and making it exciting. When the program was first aired, its content consisted mainly of live broadcasts and talks with guests, but from the middle of the program, it became more like a wide-ranging show with current events and stories that cut to the heart of society. Wada’s blunt remarks drew the sympathy of viewers, and he established himself as an opinionated voice in the entertainment industry. The program has long enjoyed high ratings as a representative program of the Sunday noon time slot. However, in recent years, as Wada has aged to over 70 years old and viewer ratings have declined compared to his heyday, there have been frequent whispers of the show’s demise.
