Although Pippo Baudo has conducted some programs of the Mediaset schedule, it is impossible not to define him as one of the faces of Rai. With an incredible history within the broadcasting company, here is the career of one of the greatest professionals in the industry.
Who is Pippo Baudo
Giuseppe Raimondo Vittorio Baudo, known simply as Pippo Baudo (Militello in Val di Catania, 7 June 1936), is an Italian TV presenter. He was born in the province of Catania and grew up there with his lawyer father and housewife mother. During the years of the classical high school also debuts in the theater playing the role of entertainer during breaks. Once graduated, he decides to take a degree in law and during his university years he meets Tuccio Musumeci and with him he decides to launch into the world of entertainment.
He made his debut on television as pianist and singer of the Moonlight Orchestra present during the variety show conducted by Enzo Tortora “La conchiglia d’oro”. He manages to get the role of conductor in the sixties, starting with the programs “Guida degli emigrati”, “Primo piano” and “Telecruciverba”.
Thanks to a series of lucky events, Rai decides to broadcast the pilot episode of “Settevoci” which was not considered up to par. The public seems to disagree and so Baudo’s great success begins.
Pippo Baudo’s success on TV
In 1967 he obtained the conduction of “Eccetera, etc.” and the following year presents for the first time the great Sanremo Festival alongside Luisa Rivelli. His way of conducting is perfectly in line with that of the great faces of Italian TV such as Mike Bongiorno or Enzo Tortora and so in 1972 inherits “Canzonissima” one of the most successful programs of the moment. He then gets a place in the schedule of “Rischiatutto” to conduct “Spaccaquindici”, the well-known prize game. In addition to this type of program also leads the variety broadcast in prime time on Saturday “Luna Park” paired with Tina Turner.
With the birth of private televisions switch to Channel 5 with the conduct in 1982 of “Vota la voce” a summer music program followed by the prize game “One million per second”. Then he alternates his presence between Fininvest and Rai, leading now on the first channel “Fantastico”, the variety that has seen the birth of showgirls like Lorella Cuccarini and many others. He obtained the conduction of the Sanremo Festival for three years but in 1987 he signed a exclusive contract with Silvio Berlusconi’s channels and so begins a series of new projects for him.
Pippo Baudo and the arrival of the new millennium
With the advent of the 90s back to Rai and, in addition to regaining the leadership of the winning program “Domenica in”, he obtained the nomination of artistic director of Rai 1 which he covers for several years. He again gets the running of the Sanremo Festival and also becomes its artistic director. For a few years he tried to make his debut with different programs in what has now become Mediaset, but the failures brought him back to the Rai home with the conduct of a successful afternoon quiz “Day after Day”.
Then they begin complex years who see his programs on Rai in a fight for ratings against Mediaset. In fact, the program “Evening of honor” broadcast on Saturday on Rai 1 sees few plays compared to the strong competitor Maria De Filippi broadcast with “There is mail for you”. Years pass and his presence on TV is becoming increasingly rare. Keep participating in some programs by getting occasional conduction or historical programs such as “Domenica in” which leads into the 2016-2017 season. On Rai 1, on the occasion of his birthday and 60 years of television career, the show “Happy birthday… Pippo” is made.