Television presenter Ethel Pozo has spoken publicly about her former partner Franco Cabrera, revealing that he maintained difficult working relationships with fellow contestants, choreographers, and production staff during his time on the dance competition El Gran Show.
Pozo, who is the daughter of veteran Peruvian television producer and presenter Gisela Valcárcel, stated that Cabrera's conduct on set was widely witnessed by those working on the program and culminated in a near-physical altercation with the brother of actress Maria Grazia Gamarra.
Speaking on the digital program Sin Mas Que Decir, Pozo explained that while she typically avoids discussing her private life on camera, the events surrounding Cabrera were well known to everyone involved with the show at the time. She noted that she was present on set during the filming of the dance series and observed his interactions directly rather than hearing about them through third parties.
According to Pozo, Cabrera clashed with the entire team during his stint as a contestant on the show. She specifically mentioned that he got along poorly with fellow contestants Maria Grazia Gamarra and Brenda Carvalho, as well as the show's choreographers and production crew. Pozo added that Cabrera almost came to blows with Gamarra's brother before former reality show personality Diana Sanchez interrupted her to suggest she had revealed enough.
Production Context and Television Background
Pozo is an established television presenter in Peru who is currently preparing to make her acting debut on the theater stage. In addition to her long-term relationship with Cabrera, she previously revealed a past romantic relationship with a former member of the popular Latin pop group Menudo. Her mother, Gisela Valcárcel, is one of the most prominent figures in South American entertainment, having hosted top-rated Peruvian variety programs for decades and founded the production company GV Producciones.
El Gran Show is a major Peruvian reality dance competition format produced by GV Producciones and hosted by Valcárcel. The program pairs national celebrities with professional ballroom dancers, requiring participants to undergo rigorous daily rehearsals with professional choreographers before performing live routines evaluated by a panel of judges and viewer votes.
Maria Grazia Gamarra is a well-known Peruvian television actress who has starred in numerous popular telenovelas, while Brenda Carvalho is a Brazilian-born dancer and media personality who gained national fame in Peru as a member of the musical group Axe Bahia before becoming a regular contestant on reality entertainment broadcasts.
Tensions on the Set of Yo Soy
The discussion surrounding Cabrera began when Diana Sanchez shared details about her own working relationship with the actor during an appearance on Sin Mas Que Decir. Sanchez spoke about the end of her tenure on the talent competition Yo Soy, explaining the circumstances surrounding why her contract was not renewed for a subsequent season of the program.
Sanchez revealed that she was unable to build a friendship with Cabrera during their time working together on Yo Soy, where Cabrera currently serves as a main host. She indicated that there was professional jealousy between them and noted that Cabrera minimized her role on air by repeatedly emphasizing that she was only a co-host on the broadcast.
Yo Soy is the Peruvian adaptation of the international musical talent competition format where contestants perform impersonations of iconic national and international recording artists. Broadcast nationally, the show relies on a dynamic between main presenters, co-hosts, and a panel of celebrity judges who evaluate live performances.
Professional Friction and Co-Hosting Dynamics
Despite the lack of personal chemistry, Sanchez explained that both presenters attempted to put their differences aside to deliver a professional broadcast for viewers. She stated that neither the hosts nor the judging panel were the central focus of the show, emphasizing that the contestants' talent and the television audience were what mattered most to the production.
Sanchez, who first rose to national prominence as a competitor on the hit Peruvian reality game show Combate before transitioning into television hosting and media appearances, added that while she and Cabrera were never close friends, they did not harbor hatred toward one another and simply lacked natural personal compatibility.
Pozo had not previously addressed her past relationship with Cabrera in public, making her comments notably surprising to television viewers. Her statements regarding his conduct have generated widespread discussion across social media platforms, while Cabrera continues his work as a presenter on Yo Soy.
