DESPITE a clamor, real or dubious, on YouTube, ?Wowowee? may not be returning to television anytime soon. At least not on TV 5, as rumored on Wednesday.

In a statement sent to Inquirer, TV5 Entertainment head Perci Intalan denied the reports.

Willie Revillame, whose daily noontime show was axed by ABS-CBN, has declared himself free to negotiate with other networks and was alleged to be dealing with TV5 and GMA 7. Neither station has confirmed this, possibly, observers say, because Revillame?s contract with ABS-CBN is binding until September 2011.

The TV host is not throwing in the towel just yet. A source told Inquirer that Revillame was in Boracay at press time brainstorming for a new show with 23 crew members of ?Wowowee?? including business unit head Jay Montelibano, singer-composer Lito Camo, 10 dancers, three writers, make-up artists and utility personnel.

The source said all 23 had left the show, and that even Mariel Rodriguez, one of the hosts retained for the replacement show, ?Pilipinas Win Na Win,? was not coming back to ABS-CBN from a supposed vacation in Hong Kong. Earlier, Robin Padilla, a PWNW mainstay on leave for Ramadan, was said to be thinking twice about coming back.

Less than a month old, PWNW has changed slots twice, now airs at 2 p.m.

On the TV5 gabfest ?Paparazzi,? Revillame offered his former ?Wowowee? staffers higher salaries ?even before we have a new show.? and vowed to resume TV work ?before the year ends.?

Marinel R. Cruz