Back in August, when Univision announced it was ending the twenty-year run of Cristina Saralegui's popular Miami-based talk show, El Show de Cristina, it didn't seem there was any behind-the-scenes drama and that the host's departure was voluntary. Now with three weeks to go before the final episode airs, Saralegui is criticizing the network, and saying that she believes the show was cancelled because of her age. Nothing like a good ol' Spanish talk show brawl.
"It was so unexpected. The way it was handled was so nasty,'' Saralegui told El Nuevo Herald.
The legendary host, who is often cited as Spanish-language television's answer to Oprah, also said she was saddened she didn't get to "retire with respect." Sadly she won't be going out Oprah style by taking an entire studio audience on a plane to Australia piloted by John Travolta or any of that.
Saralegui also believes her age may have played a part.
"They want to change the image of the chain and get rid of older workers and replace them with youngsters,'' she told the paper."I'm too old to do what they want. And I think that is because I am independent and because I give the orders."
That's a far cry from the stance she gave back in August.
"It is bittersweet to announce the end of what has been a very rewarding experience, but after many wonderful years, now is the perfect time to retire the show and move on to the next exciting phase of my career," she said in a release at the time.
You can't keep a good Cristina down though. She may continue to host specials on the channel and is set to release a line of bedding furniture at Sears and KMart. The final episode of her show will air November 1.
[El Nuevo Herald: Cristina Saralegui se lanza contra Univisión]
