Downtown DX Ends Without Its Stars — Footage Blocked by Matsumoto & Hamada

Matsumoto posted a statement on X, making a silent protest

“Maybe Mats-chan will show up in the final episode!?”

When a shadowy silhouette of the comedy duo Downtown appeared in the opening, such hopeful voices popped up on social media. However, neither Hitoshi Matsumoto (61) nor the recovered Masatoshi Hamada (62) appeared even for a second.

On June 26, the long-running show Downtown DX (produced by Yomiuri TV, aired on Nippon TV) aired its final episode. Launched in October 1993, it came to a close after 31 years and 8 months—ending quietly at the end of June, a somewhat awkward time. But behind this timing lay a story far more turbulent than most viewers realized.

“In late December 2023, Shukan Bunshun reported a scandal involving a woman, which led to Matsumoto disappearing from TV almost overnight. Sponsors began pulling out from the shows he appeared in, and Matsumoto himself decided to go on hiatus to focus on the lawsuit against Bunshun,” said a source from a daytime talk show.

Matsumoto officially withdrew from Downtown DX in January 2024. One year and five months later, the show was axed.

So what really happened behind the scenes of this long-running program’s end? A Yomiuri TV insider reveals:

“The major issue was the growing rift between Yomiuri TV and Matsumoto.”

According to this insider, the conflict began with an episode of Miyaneya (produced by Yomiuri TV and aired on Nippon TV) broadcast in July 2024. The show aired a reenactment segment claiming that someone from Matsumoto’s side had attempted to negotiate to prevent “Person A,” the alleged victim, from testifying in court.

“The studio commentators also discussed it as if it were a proven fact, which prompted Matsumoto’s lawyer to release a statement denouncing it as biased reporting. Matsumoto also posted the statement on X as a form of silent protest. Staff members at Yomiuri TV who were close to Matsumoto were on edge, especially during the network’s employee rotation period. Some even said, ‘I absolutely don’t want to be transferred to Miyaneya.’ They feared being seen as enemies by Matsumoto if they were assigned there,” the insider added.

Flashback scenes used illustrations of Downtown

In response to protests from Matsumoto’s side, Yomiuri TV’s new president Yōzō Matsuda, who took office last June, made his stance clear during his first press conference. Regarding the Miyaneya incident, he said:

“Looking at the contents of the protest letter, I believe there’s a misunderstanding regarding the facts. We determined that there was no need for a correction.”

His comment appeared to subtly push back against Matsumoto’s side.

Furthermore, in March of this year, President Matsuda added:

“Our standard for judgment is whether the viewers will accept it. If Mr. Matsumoto chooses to speak publicly, we’ll consider it then.”

This indirectly suggested that unless Matsumoto made a public statement—such as holding a press conference—his return to television would not be considered.

“A similar stance was taken by the previous president, now chairman Yoshimitsu Ōhashi, who also believed it was inappropriate for Matsumoto, given his scandal involving a woman, to appear on-air. On the other hand, Matsumoto and his agency Yoshimoto Kogyo are furious with Yomiuri TV over the Miyaneya coverage. That’s why even Hamada, who has recovered from illness and is in good health, didn’t appear in the final episode of Downtown DX. It’s highly likely this was influenced by Matsumoto,” said a Yomiuri TV insider.

In the end, the show concluded without any of its iconic moments or new studio footage.

“The final episode ended up being just a segment where guests shared memories while riding in a car. Behind the scenes, Yoshimoto Kogyo refused to grant permission to use any footage—or even a single photo—of Downtown. In other words, they issued a flat-out ban to Yomiuri TV. That’s why flashback scenes had to rely on illustrations of the duo.

The staff, who have deep affection for Downtown, surely wanted to fill the final episode with memorable clips. It must have been heartbreaking for them. Right now, the relationship between Matsumoto’s side and Yomiuri TV is at rock bottom—essentially severed. That said, since it’s unclear whether Matsumoto will ever return to television at all, the network’s top brass likely isn’t too concerned,” the insider added.

When this outlet contacted Yomiuri TV to confirm whether permission to use Downtown’s footage or images had been denied, they responded:

“We do not comment on production processes.”

And so, Downtown DX came to a rather bitter end—leaving not just fans, but the program’s own staff, feeling disappointed.