Farewell to Enrica Bonaccorti, the presenter who won Italian hearts.

Enrica Bonaccorti died today, Thursday, March 12, in her hometown of Rome. She was 76 years old. A few months ago, she had chosen to publicly address her illness—pancreatic cancer—sharing with her audience her treatments, her hardest moments, and her hopes. Her daughter Verdiana was always by her side, a discreet and constant presence until the very end.

From Savona to the stage with Domenico Modugno

Born in Savona in 1949, Enrica Bonaccorti entered the world of entertainment in the late 60s, making her theater debut in Domenico Modugno and Paola Quattrini's company with the play Mi è caduta una ragazza nel piatto. It was also during this period that her calling as a lyricist was born: for Modugno, she wrote songs destined to become classics, including "Amara Terra Mia" and "La Lontananza," testaments to a rare and fruitful artistic partnership.

The 70s between TV series and cinema

In the 70s, her name began to be linked to television, with roles in RAI dramas such as La Pietra di Luna, Eleonora, and L'Amaro Caso della Baronessa di Carini. At the same time, she continued to work in film, appearing in several productions of the sexy comedy genre, then dominant in Italian cinema.

The explosion in the 80s: Telegatti and the general public

Her leap to mainstream popularity came in the 80s. From 1983 to 1985, she hosted Italia Sera on Rai1's early evening program, which won her a Telegatto award. Then came the moment that definitively cemented her reputation: she took over from Raffaella Carrà as host of Pronto, chi gioca?, achieving unexpected success. The audience rewarded her. She won another Telegatto award and the TV Oscar for Female Personality of the Year.

The move to Fininvest and the successes on the rival network

In 1987, following in the footsteps of Carrà and Baudo, she left RAI to join Fininvest, where she hosted the Sunday variety show "La Giostra" and the early evening show "Ciao Enrica" ​​on Canale 5. The following year, she launched "Cari Genitori," a game show for families that was well received by viewers, even earning a summer edition in 1989.

The 90s: From Tg5 to "Non è la Rai"

In the 1990s, she inaugurated the live broadcast of Fininvest networks by hosting "Non è la Rai," reuniting with Gianni Boncompagni and Irene Ghergo, former colleagues from the days of "Pronto, chi gioca?". On January 6, 1992, she hosted the first edition of the 1:00 p.m. edition of Tg5, a historic moment for Italian commercial television. At the end of the decade, she returned to Rai, joining the cast of "I Fatti Vostri" on Rai2 alongside Massimo Giletti.

Radio, animals and the last years as a commentator

Alongside television, Bonaccorti devoted herself to radio, hosting two editions of Chiamate Roma 3131 on Radio2, an experience that earned her the Golden Microphone for Lifetime Achievement in 2018. From 2000 to 2006, she was a regular guest on Buona Domenica con Maurizio Costanzo, where she cultivated her love of animals in a segment that later became the independent program Il Mio Migliore Amico.

In the following years, she alternated between Rai and Mediaset as a commentator, from Domenica Live to La Vita in Diretta, Mattino Cinque, and Storie Italiane. Her last television experience dates back to 2019, with the program Ho Qualcosa da Dirti on TV8.