“Panther” Satoru Mukai ♡ TBS Announcer Yuko Wakabayashi Caught on a “Secret Date”! [Scoop!]

A Dinner Away from the Public Eye

These two popular TV personalities had, before they knew it, taken their relationship from “co-stars” to “lovers”——.

Around 9:00 p.m. on a weekday in mid-September, Satoshi Mukai (40) of the comedy trio “Panter” emerged from a down-to-earth yakiniku restaurant in Tokyo.

This restaurant has been introduced several times on shows like “Bescon Gourmet” and “Sakurai & Ariyoshi THE Night Party” (both on the TBS network) as one of Mukai’s “regular haunts”, and is a well-known establishment where Shinobu Hasegawa (48) of “Sissonne” and Akira Kawashima (47) of “Kirin” are also known to be regulars.

Mukai was dressed in a purple-and-blue plaid shirt, black pants, and a cap—a super-casual look—carrying nothing but his wallet and cell phone. Perhaps he was enjoying a solo meal at his favorite spot after work.

“Mukai enrolled in the Yoshimoto General Entertainment Academy (commonly known as NSC) in 2005 and formed the comedy group ‘Panther’ in 2008 alongside Ryotaro Suga (44) and Takahiro Ogata (49).He is now a popular figure with over 10 regular appearances, including on ‘Ousama no Brunch’ (TBS), ‘Hirunandesu!’ and ‘DayDay.’ (all on Nippon TV), as well as on local TV and radio.

“His ability to listen and draw out the best in guests, his conversational skills, and the sense of reliability he brings as an MC are second to none in the comedy world—so much so that he’s been dubbed the ‘Reiwa Radio Star.’ On a past variety show, he revealed that his monthly income was 800,000 yen higher than that of fellow member Suga, which caused quite a stir—that’s how highly his talent is regarded,” said a television industry insider.

After finishing his meal, Mukai climbed all the way up the stairs from the basement and started walking away. …But for some reason, he suddenly turned around and began talking to someone at the bottom of the stairs. Just as it seemed he had finally started walking again, a cute woman popped her head out from behind Mukai.

Even through her cap pulled low over her eyes, her beautiful features were unmistakable—she was TBS announcer Yuko Wakabayashi (30). It seemed the two had been enjoying a meal together at this yakiniku restaurant.

“Wakabayashi, who joined TBS in 2019, currently hosts popular shows such as ‘Hiruobi’ and ‘Sunday Japon.’ When she was 14 and living in New York, she was inspired to become an announcer after seeing news coverage of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and she has since grown into one of the network’s flagship announcers,” said an entertainment agency executive.

The two, who are so busy they’re on TV almost every day, have been quietly nurturing their love through a series of secret dates.

The “FRIDAY October 2 & 9 Combined Issue,” on sale September 18, and the paid edition “FRIDAY GOLD” provide detailed coverage of how the two met, as well as “comments on the truth” from Mukai himself.

Click here to view the full details and multiple photos ↓

From *FRIDAY* October 2 & 9, 2026 Combined Issue