Masatoshi Hamada’s Hiatus: The Real Reasons Behind It and the Future of His Regular Shows

The hiatus due to scandal is firmly denied

In addition to accumulated fatigue from years of work, one of the reasons Hamada chose to take a break at this time is Matsumoto’s presence.

Matsumoto is aiming to launch a subscription-based media platform, “Downtown Channel (tentative),” this spring. At that time, he stated:

“I want my partner to be there for the first episode.”

Hamada shared the same sentiment, and an agency representative reportedly conveyed Hamada’s true feelings to some media outlets.

“The first thing they firmly denied was that the hiatus was due to a scandal. They emphasized, ‘That is absolutely not the case. It has nothing to do with online casinos either.’ After taking a moment, they continued, ‘For Hamada-san—or rather, for Downtown as a duo—this is the only time they can take a break together.’ Hearing that, I immediately sensed that Hamada was thinking about Matsumoto. He’s likely recharging for the launch of ‘Downtown Channel.'” (Media insider)

Hamada and Matsumoto formed their duo in 1982. After dominating the comedy scene, they hardly interacted in private, perhaps due to a sense of awkwardness. However, there is no doubt that they understand each other better than anyone else, even without words.

“There have been reports that Hamada may return as early as after Golden Week. However, the agency doesn’t seem fixated on a specific deadline. Rather, they seem to want him to take a proper break this time and choose the work he truly wants to do. It’s possible that some of his current regular programs will be reduced. In that case, there’s a strong chance that his comeback will be alongside Matsumoto on ‘Downtown Channel’ rather than on television.” (Entertainment industry insider)

When Hamada returns, Matsumoto may be right there beside him.