‘Banana Split’ will be rebranded as ‘Banana Sundae’ starting this Sunday, airing alongside ‘ASAP’. (Photo credit: ABS-CBN)
The second longest-running active gag show on Philippine television is moving to a new timeslot.
Starting this Sunday, ‘Banana Split’ will now be renamed as ‘Banana Sundae’. Its gag show in front of a live audience approach will be retained, except that it will now be seen on a more viewer-accessible Sunday afternoon slot.
Most of the show’s cast will be carried over from ‘Banana Split’, with a few additions. Jessy Mendiola and Pokwang will now join ‘Banana Sundae’ alongside established mainstays such as Angelica Panganiban, Jason Gainza, John Prats, Pooh and Ryan Bang.
Even though ‘Banana Split’ was holding its own every Saturday night for the past several years, it is clear that the show’s appeal was severely affected by the reality and talent shows that preceded it. For example, ‘Banana Split”s final Saturday episode was aired a few minutes before midnight, due to the lengthy first-part finale of ‘Pinoy Big Brother: 737’ and ‘Your Face Sounds Familiar’.
Even worse for ABS-CBN was the success of ‘ASAP”s latest rival ‘Sunday PinaSaya’, whose new comedic approach provided a livelier alternative to ‘ASAP”s concert-based format. As the long-running ‘ASAP’ lost ground to a new, more entertaining rival, plus the recent lack of attention towards ‘Banana Split’, ABS-CBN decided to make a move.
Thus came the rebrand of ‘Banana Split’ into ‘Banana Sundae’. With the move to Sunday afternoons, ABS-CBN hopes that ‘Banana Sundae’ will appease the demands of viewers who crave for a comedy show that will answer ‘Sunday PinaSaya’.
‘Banana Sundae’ is not expected to directly compete with ‘Sunday PinaSaya’ though, as ABS-CBN has no plans of moving ‘ASAP’ to a later timeslot the same way GMA did with ‘Sunday All-Stars’. The most likely destination of the show is the timeslot currently occupied by ‘Kapamilya Mega Blockbusters’, unless ABS-CBN slightly changes its plans.
Either way, ‘Banana Split’ will now move to Sunday afternoons. And loyal viewers should get more excited now that it airs on a more accessible timeslot.
‘Banana Sundae’ airs every Sunday starting November 15, with the timeslot to be determined.
From the Tube 
It is said na after ASAP yun timeslot ng Banana Sundae
Someone told me that Banana Sundae will be aired at 10:30 am possibly to compete with Happy Truck ng Bayan and Kapuso Movie Festival.
The press release below noted that otherwise. The first sentence made it clear.
http://abscbnpr.com/banana-split-now-serving-as-banana-sundae/
ABS noted in the press release that Banana Sundae will be aired in the afternoon, so airing after ASAP may be a possibility.
Most likely, after ASAP nga. I have a feeling that it will be aired back-to-back with Luv U since both shows are produced, created and directed by Edgar and Frasco Mortiz. The two are also behind Goin Bulilit. This means that both father and son have THREE Sunday shows on ABS.
Then why did you say that someone told you na before ASAP yung Banana Sundae? It is clear you’re not really that well-informed with regards to showbiz programming.
Napakalabo mo, Mr. Sunday. Like I told you, just focus on the sports and girls stuff if your knowledge of showbiz isn’t that comprehensive. LALO NA KUNG ANG ALAM MO LANG AY SUNDAY SA TV!!
Oh well, let’s just stop bashing further Mr. Sunday, even in capital letters, and let’s just live to the fact that his knowledge on TV is just stuck on Sundays, while he focuses more on chicks, sports, and radio. Also, I guess Mr. Sunday was just misinformed. But, again, he should’ve searched the Internet instead for news regarding “Banana Sundae.” Again, though, I’m NOT defending him.
We can just move on.
Case closed.
I’m doing a post on “Dance Kids” later.
Nice. ABS has some scheduling questions coming this weekend so try to figure that out too.
Already posted in The Turf. It’s too short but I believe the lead-out programs will be back to its normal situation until the final week of YFSF 2.
Ralph – This Saturday – Celebrity Playtime will now directly compete with celebrity bluff with Luis as host.
Finally, we can get to see the two shows compete against each other. Should be fun.
Yes. And having Billy Crawford host YFSF 2 and Celebrity Playtime, as well as Showtime is a challenge. At since back-to-back na ang YFSF 2 at Celebrity Playtime, ABS decided to replace Billy with Luis Manzano sa Celebrity Playtime. This is to remove concerns na masyadong overexposed si Billy tuwing Sabado.
In terms of overexposure, AlDub wins, thanks to GMA News.
Luis does host Kapamilya Deal or No Deal on weekdays, so no problem.
But back to Banana Sundae. The late-night slot sure has some consequences, and the then-Banana Split was affected by it. No one knows what will happen once Celebrity Playtime occupies its timeslot, but let’s see how they fare there.
I think it will be occupied the timeslot where Kapamilya Mega Blockbusters aired it.
More likely.
Looks like the Sunday Pina-saya format of GMA was the solution since ABS-CBN answered back with their Banana Sundae.
To me, I think having a comedic theme on afternoon and being less on musical TV show on Sundays is the new thing (I guess) these days. Long gone the SOP, Party Pilipinas days where they air longer and start early. IMO, these changes are brought about by the change in tastes.
Indeed. ASAP’s tried and tested formula is failing to work with this new trend of comedy.
ASAP has been shortened and now ends at 2:45 pm. That show is running out of new ideas.
Looks like tumitindi ang competition dahil dito (indirectly). Naghahanap sila ng paraan para talbugin ang kabila. ASAP should’ve sticked to performing instead of venturing to comedy.
I was wondering. If Banana had moved this show to Friday nights, kaya ba nilang talbugin ang Bubble Gang?
Friday nights are always reserved for teleseryes on ABS, kahit magkalaban sila ng Bubble Gang. ABS will never put a weekly gag show on a Friday.
Their last attempt at it was Super Laff-In, and it failed. So ABS has no intentions of rivaling Bubble Gang at this point.
ASAP should stick to their musical variety format and timeslot, put BANANA SUNDAE on the afternoon. its an amazing program line up every sunday.
Not-so amazing with ASAP still losing to SPS, hence ABS responded with Banana Sundae. The problem though is that ABS didn’t want to move ASAP to a later timeslot the same way GMA did with Sunday All-Stars, so it’s still a risky proposition.
Once Banana Sundae starts airing, the show has to minimize the green jokes that it used to have when it was aired late at night. Their sexy dance numbers also have to be done only occasionally since there is ASAP already for that purpose.
Incidentally, Banana Sundae was the first title of the program Goin’ Bananas in early 80s on BBC 2 and then moved to IBC 13.
Interesting fact coming from a show that is produced by one of the former Bad Bananas.
Well Banana Sundae will now air at 2 pm. Meaning ASAP will only air for 2 hours which is actually good for them kasi tama yun ilang dito sa comments, they are running out of ideas so its better to shorten the show to a 2 hour program.
At least they did not relegate ASAP to 1 pm the same way GMA did with Sunday All-Stars. Though, it won’t make a difference even if they cut it to just two hours now.