Sálvame was one of the most important television programs in Spain during the last 15 years, despite the rejection it generated in various sectors of society. An extensive space to cover the afternoon slot of Telecinco, dedicated to the world of the heart but also to the interiorities and development of its collaborators, in the middle of a chaotic environment where the most popular idea was the triumphant one.
However, the show has suffered its share of ups and downs in its decade-long run, including several lawsuits against it. The last of them has been resolved this Friday, in relation to the incident that occurred with Alfonso Merlos during the pandemic. The Tele Factory, producer of the format, must pay the communicator 800,000 euros in compensation, according to the Periodsta Digital website.
The scene in question gained widespread notoriety in the media during the spring of 2020, in the middle of confinement, under the name Merlos Place. During an intervention by video call by journalist Alfonso Merlos, at that time paired with the program’s collaborator Marta López, a woman in a bikini appeared in the background of the image. Later it would be discovered that that person was Alexia Rivas, at that time a reporter for Socialité.
“The program incurred a continued illegitimate interference in the right to honor and personal and family privacy” of Merlos, as ruled by the Provincial Court of Madrid, which partially ratifies the ruling issued by the Court of First Instance number 3 of Móstoles. In addition, they claim that he “was described as a classist, coward, useful fool, uncivil, liar, old-fashioned, sexist, unfaithful, traitor, hypocrite, scoundrel, crook, and catechist.”
“The network promoted, encouraged and incited the utterance of expressions referring to Merlos that clearly go beyond the scope of criticism, lack objective justification, are manifestly offensive and undoubtedly harm the dignity of the actor and undermine his fame. “promoted, encouraged and incited the revelation and dissemination of private facts relating to the intimate and personal life of the plaintiff, which directly affected, and were completely devoid of any public interest,” the letter expands.
In this way, the journalist and his lawyer are agreed, who at the time assured that Merlos “was the object of a media hunt and a furious attack on all levels, personal and professional, in his beliefs and morality, with a devastating cost. professional and personal.” Mediaset, after acquiring 100% of La Fábrica de la Tele, can appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court or pay the fine of the amount that the members of the production company reserved for open cases.
