Saber y Ganar issues statement over online abuse of contestant Martín Escolar
Spain's long‑running TV quiz show Saber y Ganar (RTVE) released an unprecedented public statement after the contestant Martín Escolar became the target of a wave of insults and threats on the social‑media platform X (formerly Twitter). The programme warned that while opinions are allowed, personal attacks and aggressive messages would not be tolerated and said abusive accounts would be blocked.
Accusations circulated that the show was giving Escolar preferential treatment by offering easier questions, prompting a heated debate among viewers about the fairness of the format. In response, the contestant broke his silence on Instagram and TikTok, thanking supporters and describing the criticism as motivation to continue competing. He confirmed that the broadcast's warning was indeed directed at him, noting that the support he receives outweighs the negative comments.
The incident marks a rare moment of overt crisis management for the nearly three‑decade‑old programme, which has traditionally avoided controversy.
Entities: Jordi Hurtado · Martin Escolar · Martín Escolarse · RTVE · Saber y ganar · Spain · TVE · X (formerly Twitter)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Saber y ganar is broadcast by TVE. (Program information)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Martín Escolarse became target of insults and accusations of preferential treatment on X. (Social media users)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Saber y ganar issued a public statement asking for respect and warning that abusive users will be blocked. (Saber y ganar, TVE)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Critics alleged the program gave Martín Escolarse easier questions than other participants. (Online critics)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The statement said all opinions are allowed but not insults or personal attacks. (Saber y ganar statement)
- [● 4 SOURCES] After the statement, the contestant continued to receive both supportive and critical messages. (Social media observation)