What happened to Mirtha Legrand?
On Friday, September 4, 2026, legendary Argentine television host Mirtha Legrand, aged 97, had to cancel the recording of her show La noche de Mirtha (broadcast on channel eltrece) at the last minute due to a flu. According to close sources, the diva woke up with cold symptoms and congestion, and following medical advice, she stayed home to rest.
The news immediately worried her fans, but reassurance came quickly: her granddaughter, Juana Viale, replaced her at the famous 'mesaza' (big table) and recorded the show in her place. Viale also had a double shift, as she recorded her own program Almorzando con Juana the same day.
“She has a bit of the flu, but she's fine. We're having lunch together,” confirmed Marcela Tinayre, Mirtha's daughter, to the press.
Additionally, Nacho Viale, grandson and producer of the show, also confirmed the situation to Camilo García on Intrusos, bringing peace of mind to fans.
The 'mesaza' with Juana Viale
For the recording of La noche de Mirtha this Friday, the guests were already confirmed and were welcomed by Juana Viale. The table included:
- Ana Rosenfeld, lawyer of Wanda Nara.
- Elba Marcovecchio, lawyer of Mauro Icardi.
- Karina Iavícoli, panelist on LAM and Infama.
- Luciana Rubinska, sports journalist at ESPN and the first woman to win the Martín Fierro de Cable in sports journalism (2018).
Meanwhile, on Almorzando con Juana, the guests were Martín Seefeld (actor), Iñaki Urlezaga (ballet dancer), Juli Castro and Patricia Etchegoyen (actresses), and Sofía Cairó, player of Las Leonas, who scored the decisive penalty in the final of the field hockey World Cup won 3-1 against the Netherlands.
Background: the bronchitis in May
This is not the first time Mirtha Legrand has had to step away due to health issues. In May of this year, the host was off screen for three weeks due to bronchitis that required antibiotics and absolute rest. Upon returning, she publicly thanked Juana Viale for replacing her “marvelously.”
This new episode, although milder, once again puts the health of one of the most beloved and long-lived figures in Argentine television in the spotlight. For now, it is expected that Mirtha will recover soon and resume her commitments next week.