Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 00:03
With a prize pool of over 2.2 million euros in their almost year and a half on ‘Reacción en cadena’, the trio of Mozos de Arousa are on their way to becoming the longest-serving contestants on a television contest. “We’re more nervous about it because we don’t want to leave. Before we weren’t attached to the programme, but now we’re fond of it,” confesses Bruno Vila, one of the members of this charismatic Galician team of contestants that he forms with his two friends, the brothers Borjamina and Raúl Santamaría. “We’ve also already exceeded all our expectations. If a team has to come along that beats us and we lose, then we’ll finally get paid,” they say, laughing.
It was on May 25, 2023 when this group of friends made their debut on Telecinco’s evening contest, presented by Ion Aramendi from Monday to Friday at 8:00 p.m. They have surpassed themselves every day until they have become practically unbeatable. Now, they want to think “big” and mark in red on the calendar what could be their next challenge. “There is a world record held by the Lobos which is for permanence in a television contest (505 programs in ‘Boom!’). Why not imagine that those from the Guinness World Record come to give us that merit?” says Raúl, who combines the daily program with politics as a PP deputy in the Galician Parliament. “Alfonso Rueda (president of the Xunta) does see me on the program. They tell me not to leave the contest. For them it is a pride to have a reference on television, in this case in a contest,” he admits.
Although the decision to combine active politics with television, as he says, was not easy for him. Part of the social networks reproached him for it. “To the people who say they are going to stop watching ‘Chain Reaction’ because I am in one party or another, I tell them that if they liked it before, I don’t understand why they don’t like it now. We must respect everyone’s ideas and we must not mix a general culture programme with politics,” he reflects.
The Mozos de Arousa are clear that their lives have changed after their popularity in the Telecinco format. “On an economic level we see a figure that is going up, but we are not aware of it. In our daily lives we have had to put our jobs, our studies on hold… They stop us in the street everywhere, not only in Vilagarcía de Arousa,” says Borjamina. His brother Raúl says that it is exciting to see how children who are fans of the contest approach them with their parents: “Being that reference, that image of something positive, is a source of pride.”
Hacienda Bite
They dream of winning the prize at any moment. Does it make them dizzy to think about what their lives will be like the next day? “The day I leave I will return to my old life with much more peace of mind,” answers Bruno, while Raúl points out that he would like to resume the teaching exams and not leave politics. “I was happy with what I was doing before, but with the minimum wage I have a hard time accessing housing, having my own car. When I finish here, the doors are still open to resuming my old life with a very important cushion,” reveals Borjamina.
The Treasury will take a good chunk out of the final prize they win. “It’s almost half, it’s like dividing up with another person on the team. But in the end there’s a very big cushion,” says Raúl. However, his colleague Bruno is more blunt. “I think it’s great because we’ve always enjoyed public services,” he says. “We came from poorer families who contributed less because they couldn’t. Now it’s our turn to be the ones who contribute more,” he adds.
On television, the Mozos de Arousa have become tough rivals for ‘Pasapalabra’. “We can live together perfectly,” they claim. However, they do not rule out accepting the chimes with Ion Aramendi if Telecinco proposed them as presenters. “Giving the chimes would be something great. It is the most important day for families. If we are part of them, well, look how great. And if it were in Galicia, even in Vilagarcía de Arousa. Why not?” concludes Raúl.
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