The decision, announced on Monday, October 12, 2026, marks an unexpected turn for Blanca, an Italian production that had garnered considerable success on its home network, Rai 1. W9 had commenced airing the first three seasons of the series on Saturday, October 3, 2026, hoping to replicate its international appeal for French audiences. Blanca features Maria Chiara Giannetta as Blanca Ferrando, a skilled police consultant in Genoa who lost her sight at age 12, using her heightened senses and unique perspective to solve complex cases. The series had taken over a prominent Saturday afternoon block, replacing reruns of the beloved American dramedy Desperate Housewives, which had recently transitioned to W9 from its long-standing home on M6, both channels being part of the same media group.

However, W9's gamble on Blanca quickly proved unsuccessful. According to a communique obtained by Allociné, the series struggled significantly to capture the attention of French viewers. The channel reported a precipitous 64% decline in audience share within the crucial "FRDA-50" demographic—women under 50 responsible for household purchases—when compared to the performance of Desperate Housewives in the identical programming slot during the preceding four weeks. This demographic is a cornerstone for commercial television channels, making the sharp drop a critical concern for W9's advertising revenue and overall channel strategy.

In an immediate response to the ratings crisis, W9 will now turn to the proven reliability of NCIS. From Saturday, October 17, 2026, starting at 11:50 AM, the channel will begin broadcasting reruns from the thirteenth season of the globally popular American naval crime drama. This pivot underscores W9's intention to quickly stabilize its weekend afternoon viewership with a show known for its consistent performance and broad appeal.

While Blanca's stint on W9 has been cut short, the series itself is far from over. Its original Italian broadcaster, Rai 1, had already confirmed a fourth season last winter, with new episodes anticipated to arrive on the small screen in 2027. This indicates that while the French channel found Blanca unsuitable for its specific audience slot, the show maintains its popularity and production future in Italy. For French fans who began following Blanca Ferrando's compelling investigations on W9, they will unfortunately need to await alternative distribution channels to continue their viewing experience.