Chinatsu Wakatsuki Is Back in a Big Way—And Her Sharp Talk Has Finally Won Her a Show of Her Own

In high demand across the television industry

This spring, her own show, “Sashihara Chinatsu” (Fuji TV), premiered. Chinatsu Wakatuki (42) is enjoying a major comeback.

“On the May 26 broadcast of ‘Achi Kochi Audrey’ on TV Tokyo, there was a discussion about celebrities who are particularly good at talking. Masayasu Wakabayashi (47) of ‘Audrey’ and others brought up Wakatuki’s name and praised her, saying, ‘She’s just too good at it.’ Her conversational skills, impressive even to top comedians, are highly valued in the television industry, and her name comes up almost every time during casting meetings and in program proposals,” said a producer at a major television network.

Wakatuki debuted as a gravure idol in 2001 before becoming popular as a variety-show personality. In 2009, she launched the apparel brand w♥c. After giving birth to her first child in 2012 and her second in 2017, she stepped away from television for around a decade—but she shows no sign of having lost her touch.

“The same goes for Eiko Koike (45) and MEGUMI (44), but people often talk about how impressive female celebrities who came from the gravure world and were active in the 2000s are. They came up in an era when there was hardly any awareness of compliance issues. Even when they were thrown questions that bordered on sexual harassment, they turned them into laughs, skillfully dodged them, and survived. Compared with today’s variety personalities, who have only known the gentler working environment of the Reiwa era, their level of experience is simply on another level,” said a director at a production company.

While many female entertainers shift toward becoming mom talents after having children, Wakatuki’s success cannot be contained within that category.

“That said, becoming a mother has given her words more credibility, and that’s one of her strengths. When she occasionally talks about her children, it instantly makes people feel closer to her. Despite having such an extensive career, she is still willing to play the role of a spearhead, like a young talent, and she has a rich range of emotions. She stands apart from other mom talents. At the same time, when someone else is in the spotlight, she doesn’t try to steal the attention. It’s amazing how she can read the flow of the conversation and adapt to whatever role is needed,” said a television writer.

On the other hand, the same television writer continued, “Her only weakness is that you occasionally catch glimpses of something a little ‘gyaru-like’—or perhaps a bit of a bully mentality.”

“On ‘Ueda to Onna ga Hoeru Yoru,’ Wakatuki once told a story about taking apart, without permission, a gourd-shaped keychain that Kayoko Okubo (55) had attached to her bag, and getting scolded for it. I assume it was an anecdote she told with Okubo’s permission, but we live in an era where even a small remark or action can trigger a huge backlash, so she should be careful.”

Although Wakatuki is already in extremely high demand, the aforementioned production-company director revealed that there are signs that she herself may be turning down offers to serve as the sole MC.

“In fact, numerous proposals for programs with her as the sole MC have come up in planning meetings, but none have materialized. Perhaps she is concerned that becoming an MC would put her in the role of prompting others to speak, leaving fewer opportunities for her own sharp, cutting commentary. If so, that would be a wise decision. If the ratings are poor, she would inevitably face criticism. The question is how long she can maintain her current position. As she gets older, she may need to reinvent herself, or things could become difficult.”

Hiromi (61), who also enjoyed a resurgence after a long hiatus, has mellowed with age. Can Wakatuki build a similarly calm and successful second golden age?

From the July 31, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”