In 1968, Julio Iglesias performed at the Benidorm Festival with La vida sigue igual, a song composed by himself with which he conquered the public and led him to win the X edition of the contest. This iconic song, which was the launch of the career of the Madrid-born artist who years later would smash sales records, is also the title of the special live program that pays tribute to the most universal Spanish singer of all time and that Telecinco will offer tonight.

Joaquín Prat will be conducted by Julio Iglesias. Life Goes On the Same, a production by Mediaset España in collaboration with Producciones Mandarina and PlayTheUnit, the audiovisual production company of Unidad Editorial awarded in 2022 with the Iris Jury Award of the Television Academy for the docuseries Rafa Nadal Academy, which through an extensive report offers a review of the professional and personal career of this legend of Spanish music, who has turned 80 years old and has become a global icon, an idol of the masses and a musical phenomenon.

Throughout the report, more than 50 personalities from social, political and cultural life – names in music such as Víctor Manuel, José Luis Rodríguez 'El Puma', Loquillo, Los del Río, Carlos Núñez and Pitingo; sports, such as Pau Gasol, Xavi Hernández, Fernando Alonso and Pepe Reina; politicians, such as José María Aznar, José Bono and Abel Caballero; comedians José Mota, Carlos Latre and Juan Luis Cano; and journalists Luis del Olmo, Miguel de los Santos, Jaime Peñafiel, Rosa Villacastín and Nieves Herrero, reveal some of Julio Iglesias' secrets. In addition, it includes the testimonies of his former managers Fernán Martínez and Joaquín Domingo Martorell and various people who shared their childhood and youth with him.

"What we have tried to do is pay homage to the figure of Julio Iglesias, moving away from the controversies of the tabloids," says David Castro, producer of the special program. "We weren't interested in the stories of skirt messes, but we wanted to focus on his story of overcoming, his professional career and the milestones in his life that conditioned him and led him to be the universal character he is today."

Julio's life changed when he suffered a traffic accident that seriously affected his health and left him with lifelong scars on his back. It was during that recovery process that he picked up a guitar and the artist was born. The Benidorm festival was their springboard. Then came his participation in Eurovision and later the conquest of America.

In between, he suffered a severe setback: the kidnapping of his father. Dr. Iglesias Puga is an essential figure in Julio's life, and this is reflected in one of his hits: Un canto a Galicia. The artist spent summers there with his family when he was a child. But his attachment to this land goes further, and already being a world star, he has continued to make more than one getaway in his private plane to visit friends or enjoy a good meal.

In addition to being an artist, Julio has been the best ambassador Spain has ever had. Not only did they open the doors of the White House to him, but personalities and presidents from all over the world have passed through his home in Miami. As José Bono recalls in his interviews, even Zapatero's government turned to him to resolve a diplomatic incident with the United States.

Today, at 80 years old, there is not a generation that does not know Julio Iglesias. Most of us know him for his music. Many others, the younger ones, have discovered it on their mobile phones thanks to the memes with their faces that flood the chats every summer.

  • Julio Iglesias
  • Telecinco
  • Mediaset