Italian TV presenter Pippo Baudo has died, Italian media report.

He was 89 years old.

A symbol of Italian television, he hosted thirteen editions of the Sanremo Festival and dozens of hugely successful programmes, from Canzonissima to Domenica In. The news, learned by ANSA from sources close to the family, was confirmed by his longtime lawyer and close friend, Giorgio Assumma.

Born in Militello in Val di Catania on June 7, 1936, Pippo Baudo won the public's affection with Settevoci (1966-70) and Canzonissima (1972-73), later achieving major success in the 1980s with shows like Domenica In (1979-85, 1991-92), Fantastico (1984-86 and 1990), Serata d'onore (1983, 1986) and numerous editions of the Sanremo Festival (1968, 1984-85, 1987, 1992-96, 2002-03, 2007-08). From 1987 to 1988 he was artistic director of Canale 5, then returned to Rai: first on Rai 2 with a series of Serata d'onore (1989), then on Rai 1 with Gran Premio (1990), Varietà (1991), Luna Park (1994-96), Papaveri e papere (1995), Mille lire al mese (1996). From 1989 to 1997 he was artistic director (and from 2000 president) of the Teatro Stabile di Catania, and in 1994 he became artistic director of Rai until his resignation in May 1996.

Later, back at Viale Mazzini, he hosted the programs Giorno dopo giorno (1999, which became Novecento. Giorno dopo giorno in 2000), Passo doppio (2001), Il Castello (2002-2003) and once again Domenica In (2005-10). In 2010 he hosted Novecento on Rai 3, and in 2012 the prime-time programme Il viaggio, renewed for a second season the following year. He recounted his long career in the autobiography Ecco a voi. Una storia italiana, written in 2018 with Paolo Conti, and also hosted Sanremo Giovani. In 2021 he was awarded the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.