Dareka to Nakai Ends: The Cost of the Matsumoto Shock
The Partner’s Scandal That Had a Major Impact
Masahiro Nakai (52) has seen the announcement of Junichi Okada (44), formerly of V6, as the new host of the talk variety show Dareka to Nakai (Fuji TV). However, Nakai’s feelings may not be at ease, as the program is currently facing challenges.
Dareka to Nakai originally launched in April 2023 under the title Matsumo to Nakai, featuring Nakai and Hitoshi Matsumoto (61) of Downtown in a much-anticipated talk show. However, less than a year after its debut, the show encountered significant difficulties.
“In January 2024, Matsumoto announced a hiatus from entertainment activities to focus on legal proceedings regarding the sexual misconduct allegations reported by Shukan Bunshun. As Matsumoto’s name was part of the show’s title, it was renamed to its current version. During the transition, Kazunari Ninomiya (41) of Arashi hosted from February to March, followed by Tsuyoshi Muro (48) from April to December 1. Starting January 12, 2025, Okada will take over as host. However, on December 12, several media outlets reported that the show would end in March 2025,” said an entertainment reporter from a sports newspaper.
Adding to this, the December 19 issue of Josei Seven reported on Nakai’s own woman-related trouble. It alleged that a serious incident occurred when Nakai was alone with a woman he had met at a dinner gathering in 2023. The issue escalated to the point where Nakai’s side reportedly paid a settlement of 90 million yen. However, a television network insider revealed that the decision to end the show was made prior to this report.
“While Nakai’s woman-related issue is significant, the larger problem appears to have been with the sponsors. Initially, Fuji TV emphasized the show’s star power with both Nakai and Matsumoto as its main attractions. However, following the sexual misconduct allegations against Matsumoto and his subsequent hiatus, the number of sponsors dropped dramatically, with only one remaining during the episodes that still featured Matsumoto. It’s likely that sponsors expressed reluctance to continue.”
Despite efforts to keep the show running by changing its title and structure, the loss of Matsumoto seems to have left an undeniable impact.
