Bargains Teleshopping will be going off air at the end of the year as the company, known for selling Christmas decorations at the height of summer, is to wind down.

The company rose to fame over the past two decades with viewers tuning in daily to the two main party channels to watch Mario Morales selling anything from statuettes to ladders, listing the products’ various qualities.

Morales, now 74, believes his calm voice drew viewers: “I was never aggressive in my selling. I was always relaxed and I think that attracted a lot of people.” Morales recalls recording multiple programmes, which would then be aired over several days.

“I was always fast when recording… we would record an episode in 30 minutes,” he said, adding he had a natural talent for selling. “Words come easy to me. Some people are terrified of giving an interview, for example, but I can talk for ages,” he said. Apart from selling items for Bargains Teleshopping on TV, Morales separately ran his own shop in Paola for 52 years, selling “everything except airplanes and ships”. 

The veteran host honed his skills in the United Kingdom a few years before joining Bargains Teleshopping. 

Morales' face will remain on airwaves until new year

Morales retired in June but his face will remain on the airwaves until the new year, having already recorded several episodes for Bargains Teleshopping.

Reflecting on the past 22 years, Morales said he will be remembered for selling Christmas decorations at the height of summer. 

“We start selling Christmas-themed things either on August 1 or just after Santa Marija (August 15),” he said.