24-Hour Television Returns After 21 Years with No Former Johnny’s Talent and Masaki Aiba Faces Ratings Crisis

From August 31 to September 1, ’24-Hour Television’ (NTV) will be broadcast. It is a yearly tradition, but there are significant changes in the program’s format this year.

“The main personality system has been abolished. Since ’03 with ‘TOKIO,’ talent from the former Johnny’s Office (now STARTO ENTERTAINMENT) has been in charge, but this year, 24 comedians and actors will appear and challenge various projects. So far, the only former Johnny’s talents participating are Masaki Aiba (41) from ‘Arashi’ and Kaito Takahashi (25) from ‘King & Prince.’ Since Takahashi is only participating in a music project, it is not an exaggeration to say that Aiba is the only former Johnny’s talent involved in the program’s main charity project” (sports newspaper reporter).

Although Aiba is participating, considering that former Johnny’s talents have been the “face” of the program for over 20 years, this year’s ’24-Hour Television’ can be said to be “without former Johnny’s” for fans.

The former Johnny’s Office became a major topic of discussion in 2023 due to sexual misconduct issues involving its founder, Johnny Kitagawa (deceased at 87). Some media reported that NTV reduced the appearance of former Johnny’s talents on ’24-Hour Television’ in response to this issue. However, the internal situation is different.

“There was initially a proposal for STARTO talents to take the main roles, but it was shelved. It seems that STARTO expressed reluctance. NTV faced severe criticism in 2023 after it was discovered that a former executive of its affiliated Japan Sea Television had embezzled ’24-Hour Television’ sales and donation funds. It is said that this negative public reaction led to the offer being declined” (TV station insider).

Even recently, former Johnny’s talents have been prominent on ’24-Hour Television’: ‘King & Prince’ in 2021, ‘Arashi’s’ Kazunari Ninomiya (41) and his ‘Yonino Channel’ in 2022, and ‘Naniwa Danshi’ in 2023. The significant reduction in their appearances could be a major blow to the program. 

The TV station insider continues: