It has been announced that TV Asahi's popular variety show "What's Wrong with Being Azatokute?" (Thursdays at 12:45am, excluding some regions) will be combined with the traditional Friday Night Drama slot, which has been running since 2000, to air "My Azatokute Ex-Girlfriend from What's Wrong with Being Azatokute?" in the same slot in January 2025. The hosts of "What's Wrong with Being Azatokute?", Yamazato Ryota and Suzuki Airi, will comment on the story and lines from the viewer's perspective, a first in the history of Friday Night Dramas, and the show will also teach viewers how to love.
The show will star Joichiro Fujiwara from the popular group Naniwa Danshi, Shiho Kato from the idol group Hinatazaka46, and model Maria Tani. The love story revolves around the theme of "unforgettable ex-lovers," and features 30-year-old elite office worker Sakashita Takumi (Fujiwara), his cunning ex-girlfriend Sonoda Mei (Kato), and Okuyama Asahi (Tani), a career woman who is the polar opposite of Mei. Kato is scheduled to graduate from the group on December 25th, and this will be her first appearance in a drama series since her graduation.
Yamazato, who will be watching the drama as an MC, commented, "When I heard that it would be broadcast in the legendary drama slot, I thought, 'Finally, I'm going to be on the side of appearing (as an actor in a drama)', but that wasn't the kind of offer I got (laughs). I was preparing myself as an actor, but..." He continued, "I hope the drama is so good that people don't think we're in the way (laughs). We'll do our best not to get in the way, so please forgive us."
Suzuki, who is also an MC, said, "As it is broadcast on Friday, I think many people will watch it at the end of a week where they have worked hard at both work and life. The show is packed with hints like, 'Maybe I should try to live like this next week?' so I hope people enjoy watching it!"
