Akiko Wada Reveals the Three Reasons Behind Ending Her Long-Running Show

Using a cane, and sometimes moving by wheelchair

The program Akko ni Omakase! (TBS), hosted by singer Akiko Wada (75), will end in March next year.

At the end of the November 2 broadcast, Wada reported:

There are three major reasons why TBS decided to end the program—and why Wada’s side had no choice but to accept it.

The first is Wada’s health.

Even the female boss of the entertainment world is now 75. She publicly revealed that she underwent knee surgery in 2023, hip surgery last year, and eye surgery this year—three consecutive years of major medical procedures. On the May broadcast of Nippon Broadcasting’s God Afternoon Akko no Ii Kagen ni 1000-kai, she also revealed that she holds a Level 4 physical disability certificate.

A source from an entertainment agency familiar with Wada told FRIDAY Digital:

“She used to rush to the hospital at the first sign of any physical problem—she was that careful about her health. But age eventually catches up. From around the COVID pandemic, her condition seemed to decline sharply. Although she stands during the show, she often needed a cane or a wheelchair backstage because walking became difficult. Her alcohol consumption has drastically decreased compared to her peak years, and those around her have intentionally been increasing her休 days.”

The second reason is the controversies sparked by comments she made on the show.

I don’t do ego-searching because it would shock me

Among the controversies, the one that shocked Wada the most was the so-called sea lion comment about javelin throw gold medalist Haruka Kitaguchi (27) during the August broadcast last year ahead of the Paris Olympics. After watching a VTR, Wada said:

“It’s like a sea lion lying there. Cute.”

This sparked massive backlash, and on the August 18 broadcast that same year, Wada was forced to apologize:

“I made an inappropriate comment by comparing her to an animal. I apologize.”

A TV station staff member explains:

“Akko-san has a smartphone, but she doesn’t do ego-searching because she says, ‘I’d be shocked if I saw it.’ So there’s always a time lag between what she says on air and the public reaction. When she was told that her comment about Kitaguchi had become an issue, she was deeply shaken. She was extremely depressed that a word she used with good intentions had ended up hurting someone she really liked.”

After that incident, the program began incorporating the opinions of lawyers and experts to avoid further scandals. Another TV station insider adds:

“Omakase uses handmade boards to discuss recent topics, but ever since the Kitaguchi incident, the topics became limited to so-called safe ones. Akko-san gradually became more like a decorative presence on the show.”

The third reason is, of course, the ratings.

Rumors about ending Omakase had been circulating for years. The preceding program Sunday Japon (TBS), hosted by comedy duo Bakushō Mondai, regularly achieves around 10% average ratings. But once the broadcast switches to Omakase—after the JNN news and a 5-minute segment—the ratings drop to around 5%. The loss of viewers was a persistent problem.

“The core audience (ages 13–49), which advertisers and agencies value most for purchasing behavior, has been competing for last place in the time slot. But ending the program at the wrong time could damage Wada’s dignity. Marking the show’s 40th anniversary was the only viable moment to end it. It seems TBS and Horipro negotiated repeatedly before reaching this conclusion.” (Sports newspaper reporter)

Wada’s contract with Omakase is renewed annually, and her per-episode fee is said to exceed 100 million yen. The network’s financial situation may also have played a role.

It’s hard not to feel the changing of an era as a giant exits the stage.