Farewell to Enrica Bonaccorti: the television presenter who passed away at 76

Enrica Bonaccorti passed away in Rome at the age of 76. Just a few months after the public announcement of her illness, the host and author died from an inoperable pancreatic cancer, diagnosed two years ago. Born in Savona on November 18, 1949, she was a well-known face and voice of radio and television, but her career also encompassed theater, cinema, and musical writing. Among the songs she wrote for Domenico Modugno stands out “La lontananza”. Her stage debut dates back to 1968, when she was chosen by the company of Domenico Modugno and Paola Quattrini for the show “Mi è cascata una ragazza nel piatto”. After several theatrical experiences, she made her way to television during the era of dramas: she participated, among others, in “La pietra di luna” by Anton Giulio Majano and “L’amaro caso della baronessa di Carini” directed by Daniele D’Anza. In those same years, cinema opened its doors to her with sexy comedies such as “Jus primae noctis”, “Paolo il caldo”, and “Il maschio ruspante”, followed by titles like “Rag. Arturo Fanti, bancario precario”. In 1978, she debuted as a television presenter with the quiz “Il sesso forte”, alongside Michele Gammino; then, still at Rai, she hosted “Italia sera” and “Pronto, chi gioca?”, succeeding the success of “Pronto, Raffaella?”. In 1987, she moved to the then Fininvest (now Mediaset), where she hosted on Canale 5 “La giostra” and “Ciao Enrica”, both of short-lived success, before establishing herself with “Cari genitori”. She was entrusted with the start of the live broadcast in the noon slot with “Non è la Rai” on Canale 5, followed by “Vota la voce” and other programs. She then returned to Rai, where in 1999-2000 she was part of the cast of “I fatti vostri” alongside Massimo Giletti. During that time, she had also returned to radio, on Rai Radio2, hosting the historic “Chiamate Roma 3131”. At the end of 2000, she returned to Mediaset: she was a regular guest on “Buona domenica” on Canale 5 for six seasons and hosted the “Festival di Napoli” on Rete4 for three editions. After that experience, she returned to the airwaves on Rai Radio1 and made her narrative debut with the novel “La pecora rossa”. In the following years, she distinguished herself as a commentator in numerous Rai and Mediaset programs, including “Domenica Live”, “La vita in diretta”, “Estate in diretta”, “Mattino Cinque”, “Storie italiane”, and “Live – Non è la D’Urso”.

As the years go by, Bonaccorti chooses to reduce her continuous presence on screen, but she never truly disappears from the small screen. She becomes an authoritative voice in talk shows, a respected commentator, a recognizable presence that brings with it memory and expertise. In 2019, decades after her debut, she returns to daily hosting with “I Have Something to Tell You”, a late afternoon program on TV8. This is a sign of a career capable of traversing new platforms while maintaining an intact relationship with the audience. Enrica Bonaccorti was married only once, to Daniele Pettinari, with whom she had her daughter Verdiana. Her last partner was Giacomo Paladino, who passed away in 2021.