Renowned journalist and host Myrka Dellanos officially left Telemundo’s afternoon show, La mesa caliente, after three years at the helm of the program. The news was confirmed live on air by her partner Giselle Blondet, who, visibly moved, announced Dellanos’ departure during the show’s broadcast on Wednesday.
“Our colleague Myrka Dellanos will no longer be part of this program La mesa caliente. Myrka is a very talented TV host, characterized by her professionalism and dedication,” said Blondet, accompanied on set by Verónica Bastos, Andrea Meza and Cristina Porta.
The Puerto Rican host added a message of appreciation for her partner’s trajectory within the space: “We thank her for her valuable contributions to our show since its launch. Undoubtedly, Myrka helped position us as one of the leading afternoon programs on Spanish-language television. Her participation will always be part of our history. We wish her much success in her future endeavors.
Myrka Dellanos’ departure comes in the context of a series of internal cutbacks at Telemundo, which also affected other figures at the network. Among the most notorious changes is the departure of Jessica Maldonado, reporter of the program Al Rojo Vivo, who was also recently separated from her position.
The news came as a surprise to both the audience and the followers of Dellanos, who had become one of the most recognized faces of the network’s afternoon time slot, along with her colleagues Giselle Blondet and Verónica Bastos. Since its premiere in 2022, La mesa caliente has established itself as a space for conversation on current, social and entertainment topics, with a format similar to that of The View, where the presenters discuss different points of view.
During her time on the program, Myrka Dellanos stood out for her journalistic experience, her empathy and her ability to address sensitive topics with respect and depth. The journalist, with a long trajectory in Hispanic media, brought balance and seriousness to the conversations, combining her informative role with a more human side, closer to the audience.
In an interview granted in 2023 to People en Español on the occasion of the show’s second anniversary, Dellanos reflected on what it had meant for her to participate in a television debate format: “As a journalist, they saw me giving certain information and always very composed, serious… But here on this show they have seen me laughing, dying of laughter, being embarrassed, all kinds of things.
Myrka Dellanos and the challenge of speaking out publicly
One of Myrka’s most candid revelations in that conversation was the personal challenge of expressing her own opinion in public, something that, as a journalist, she had avoided for much of her career.
“I am a journalism professor in college, and as a journalist you are trained not to give your opinions, to present both sides of the coin for the public to decide. So, giving my own opinion and being forceful with my convictions has been difficult,” she explained.
Dellanos also confessed that facing criticism was a complex process: “In a certain way, if you take a stand, there is a public that disagrees with you and says terrible things to you. I am a sensitive person, quite shy, who does not seek to be the center of attention. That part hurt me.
Before her participation in La mesa caliente, Myrka Dellanos was already one of the most recognized Hispanic journalists in the United States. Her career includes decades in emblematic programs such as Primer Impacto, where she established herself as one of Univision’s most influential hosts. She has also worked in humanitarian and academic work, teaching journalism and communication classes.
Her departure from Telemundo marks the end of an important professional stage, but also opens the door to new projects. Although Dellanos has not made any public statements about her farewell, her colleagues and followers have expressed their affection and admiration for her on social networks, highlighting her ethics, faith and professionalism.
The announcement of her departure was received with surprise and sadness among the program’s viewers, who had accompanied her for three years of daily broadcasts. La mesa caliente, which has been recognized as one of the most watched programs in its time slot on U.S. Hispanic television, loses one of its founding figures.
With her farewell, Myrka Dellanos leaves a deep mark on Latin television: that of a journalist who, in addition to reporting, dared to be human, emotional and authentic in front of the audience.
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