MANILA — TV host Willie Revillame turned emotional Saturday during the live telecast of "Wowowillie," as curtains closed for the controversy-fraught noontime program after seven months on air.



Speaking with the live audience, Revillame recalled the different iterations of his variety shows — the primetime offerings "Willing Willie" and "Wiltime Bigtime" — which preceded this latest revamp as "Wowowillie."

A montage of contestants’ winning moments and Revillame’s interaction with his fans was then shown. This included scenes dating back to his debut as a TV5 host.

Revillame transferred to the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned network in 2010, after the controversial end of his five-year program with ABS-CBN, "Wowowee."



His first TV5 show, "Willing Willie," similarly drew controversies, among them involving allegations of child abuse when a 6-year-old contestant was supposedly made to perform as a "macho dancer."



The controversy, which involved advertisers pulling out from the show, prompted Revillame to announce it would go on hiatus. A month later, it resumed as the reformatted "Wiltime Bigtime."



Yet another revamp as "Wowowillie" marked the program’s transfer to a noontime slot in January this year.



Revillame went on to relate the difficulties of hosting a daily variety show live, which he said entails keeping up energy and an all-smiles front despite having personal problems to deal with.



He then sang some of the hit songs popularized on his program. While singing "Ikaw na Nga (It’s really you)," Revillame cried with his voice breaking.



In his farewell speech, Revillame thanked several officials and executives of TV5 for allowing him to continue his program over the past three years.

He also mentioned former co-hosts Ethel Booba and Ate Gay, who quit the program after Revillame went on an on-air tirade in March criticizing them for supposedly being disrespectful toward him.— Agencies