The memory of the Summer Grand Prix still lives strongly in many viewers across our country. Hosted by Ramón García and Bertín Osborne, the program hasn’t aired for more than a decade, yet it remains a source of nostalgia for that friendly contest filled with playful challenges. The appetite to revive it is clear, with even modern hosts like Ibai Llanos expressing interest in an updated version. This piece recalls what the Summer Grand Prix was really about, the schedule that delighted both grandparents and kids alike, and the partnership between TVE and FORTA that carried it on screen.
Unlimited games: the forerunner of Summer’s Grand Prix
Originally known as Unlimited Games and later rebranded as Eurogames, this was not a newcomer to Spanish television when Telecinco aired it in 2020. Alongside the Eurovision Song Contest, the format stood out as one of the entertainment staples produced by the European Broadcasting Union from 1965 to 1999. The EBU explored reviving the concept in 2007 and again in 2016 under the broader strategy titled Eurovision Super Games, but financial hurdles stalled both attempts. Two years ago, Banijay revived the spirit under the name Eurogames.
In earlier years, Spain took part from 1988 to 1992, and the 1991 edition featured Daniel Vindel and Isabel Gemio as presenters. Just a few years after his retirement, TVE launched When the Sun Warms, considered the first edition of the Summer Grand Prix. A uniquely regional take on a global idea, it featured tests staged on a large outdoor set near Prado del Rey.
Two eras on public television
When viewed in total, the Summer Grand Prix has been part of public television in Spain for 13 years. After more than a decade of summer programming, in 2006 RTVE did not renew the format, and it was picked up by FORTA channels two years later, running from 2007 to 2009.
Ramón García, Bertín Osborne, Natalia, Mar Regueras and other legendary hosts
Throughout its history the Summer Grand Prix boasted two iconic hosts and a string of familiar faces behind the scenes. During his tenure at TVE, Ramón García led the show with a cast that included well-known presenters like Jennifer Rope on Music Yes, and other beloved figures of Spanish television. Cristina Urgell and Natalie Rodríguez later joined as companions on FORTA, with Bertín Osborne continuing to be associated with the program in various iterations.
Marbelys Zamora later joined the Summer Grand Prix arc as a dancer in the 2001 edition and also contributed as an instructor in the early phase of Fame to Dance on Cuatro.
328 towns participated and only 14 winners
Across its fourteenth edition on TVE and FORTA, more than 328 towns from across Spain took part in the long-running saga of the Summer Grand Prix. A handful of locations—Cudillero, Guijuelo, Murchante, Tordera, El Bonillo, Suances, Nuevo Baztán, Griñón, Los Molinos, Falces, Carrión de los Condes, Ricote, Ador, and Renedo de Esgueva—still claim a place in the record as elite winners of the format.
Madrid and its surrounding community stood out as the region with the most participants, followed by Murcia, Valencia, and Cáceres. Guipúzcoa remains the sole region with no representation in the show’s recorded history.
Hot Potatoes, Crazy Chests, Cows or Boz
As a two-city weekly competition, the show’s charm lay not only in its challenges but in the variety of tests. From Hot Potatoes to Los Bolos, the fun included Crazy Chests, Door Breakers, and Boz, sometimes paired with gymkanas that featured farm animals, creating moments etched in viewers’ memories.
Not without its godfather
The hosting format often featured the mayor of each participating town along with a famous patron acting as godfather or godmother, while locals formed the enthusiastic audience. The lineup included Norma Duval, Juncal Rivero, Terelu Campos, Ivonne Reyes, Paz Padilla, Juan y Medio, Esther Arroyo, Fernando Romay, Eva González, and other familiar faces who appeared in the show’s authority boxes and public segments.
Little Prize: a children’s version by Andrés Caparrós
TVE launched Little Prize in 1998 as the children’s edition of the format. Students aged 9 to 14 competed alongside their teachers, with Ramón García and a team including Miriam Domínguez, Pilar Soto, Carlos Castel, and Andrés Caparrós guiding the weekend mornings on La 1. The arrangement brought a family-friendly vibe to the schoolyard battles on screen.
A devoted fan base dreaming of a comeback
The Summer Grand Prix remains a cultural touchstone for many viewers in the country. The show continues to circulate in fan communities online, with thousands following pages on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Memorable moments are still revisited, and fans repeatedly rally for the series to return to television, turning the comeback into a trending topic across social media and discussion forums.