The late-night talk show - which, as the name suggests, starts five minutes before midnight - is a successful format in the country, having already run 18 editions. Gilmário Vemba will become the face of the 19th.
In the first instance, it was the comedian himself who confirmed the news on his Instagram page: "Having a talk show on TV is practically the dream of many comedians and I'm no exception. Well, now it's not just a dream, it's a reality and it won't be just any talkshow, it's #5prameianoite a brand of RTP and a brand of humor made in Portuguese, where the finest humor made in Portugal has already passed... uff, I know, the responsibility is really big , but the honor is even greater. That's why I'm going with everything I know to do to give you the best that this program has always given. Well, ladies and gentlemen, directly from Angola to 5MN... GILMÁRIO VEMBA", he wrote in a share.
Speaking to the Portuguese newspaper Público, the comedian says he did not realize the particularity of being the first black presenter of the format on Portuguese television, but believes that there will be an audience that will feel "represented" by this feat, adding that the fact that Being a foreigner will add a "filter" to '5 Para a Meia Noite', broadcast free-to-air on RTP1.
The comedian believes that this is another gateway to visibility and job opportunities for the African and Afro-descendant community in Portugal. "The doors should already be wide open. I grew up in Angola and I don't know, other than hearing, what the obstacles are that a black person has in Portugal. It's one thing to listen, another is to be able to live. I believe that the fact that the presenter of a program like '5 Para a Meia Noite' being black and an immigrant will make many people proud and leave with a feeling of having achieved something", he stated.
"I don't even like marking this too much, it's time for it to become a regular thing. As long as the question continues to exist, it's because there is still a need to mention my skin tone for the work I'm going to do", he emphasizes.
Gilmário, who is still looking for his presentation style in a 'late night' program, cites Trevor Noah as his international reference. Remember that the comedian left South Africa to present the 'Daily Show', a well-known US program, with a format similar to what is done on Portuguese television.
As for the guests, the Angolan already has some 'trump cards' up his sleeve, stating that he would like to count on fellow presenter Vasco Palmeirim and even the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, always with an 'Angolan perspective' on the Portuguese and international current affairs. "My biggest references are Angolan", he also says to the newspaper, adding that "everything that enters my eyes and ears in Portugal goes through this filter, through this comparison, and the program will also bring that - it will not be a constant thing , if it's not boring. Many of the subjects will have this look, of surprise, on things I never saw happen", he says.
In conclusion, the main reference for humor across Angola's borders wants a program that "continues to be bold" and "as fresh as possible".
Gilmário Vemba is 38 years old and has more than two million followers on social media. After his success in Angola - mostly alongside the group 'Os Tuneza' - he also saw a winning bet with the Portuguese public. He starred in shows under his own name in some of the biggest venues in the country and was part of the recently acclaimed 'taskmaster' competition, which was also broadcast on the country's public television.
The program '5 Para a Meia Noite' debuted in 2009, on RTP2, with five presenters divided over the five working days of the week. It gained popularity and, after a format change to a weekly program, moved to the television station's main channel in 2012.
The 'late night' returns on the 12th of October - after more than a year of break - under the command of the Angolan.
