Barbara d'Urso and Simona Ventura clash over Ornella Muti's tango on Ballando con le Stelle premiere

Opening of the 21st edition

Milly Carlucci opened the 21st season of Ballando con le Stelle, addressing the summer speculation surrounding Barbara d'Urso joining the program. D'Urso made her entrance wearing a shirt reading "Busta choc", a reference to catchphrases from her previous television career. The debut included lighthearted studio moments during the initial judging phase, starting with the opening routine from contestant Jimmy Ghione. D'Urso attempted to award Ghione a score of 5, but after misplacing her physical paddle, she borrowed one from fellow judge Carolyn Smith to register her vote. She also spoke to television presenter Federica Sciarelli, referring to her former network indirectly by noting that she watched Sciarelli in the evenings when working at another company.

Friction over Ornella Muti's tango

The central confrontation of the premiere emerged following the tango routine performed by actress Ornella Muti and professional dancer Pasquale La Rocca. Most of the judging panel praised the performance, with Ivan Zazzaroni describing it as the finest routine seen to that point in the evening. Carolyn Smith indicated she was left nearly speechless, Alberto Matano commended Muti's gaze, and Guillermo Mariotto compared her deliberate movement to that of a crocodile. D'Urso stood alone among the main judges in offering criticism, arguing that the dance lacked emotional depth and that Muti appeared frightened on the dance floor.

What honestly did not reach me was the interpretation and the passion. Because I am used to dancing with Pasquale and I know what he manages to bring out, the passion did not reach me, I saw you frightened.

Exchange with Simona Ventura

D'Urso's critique prompted immediate pushback from the audience, who booed her assessment, and from sideline commentator Simona Ventura. Ventura, acting alongside Francesca Fialdini and Rossella Erra as custodians of the bonus points, intervened to question whether personal history influenced the appraisal. La Rocca had partnered with d'Urso during her run as a contestant on the show one year earlier, while Ventura had competed in the 2023 edition alongside Samuel Peron.

The passion did not reach you, but it reached us. Aren't you a bit jealous?

D'Urso rejected the claim, stating that she attended the broadcast to deliver straightforward evaluations rather than create backstage gossip. Ventura explained that forming a close partnership with a dance instructor naturally creates attachments, noting she would feel similar reactions if her former partner danced with someone else. D'Urso maintained her position, ultimately awarding Muti a score of 7, which contributed to a total combined score of 40 points for the couple.

Further contestant appraisals

Beyond the clash over the tango, d'Urso delivered direct appraisals across the rest of the contestant lineup throughout the evening. She described contestant Alessandro Matri in flattering terms, compared Ghione's presence to the puppet character Gabibbo, and told actress Monica Guerritore that she expected her to advance all the way to the final. When evaluating Noemi Bocchi, d'Urso noted a personal connection to Bocchi's narrative regarding dealing with public prejudice. Francesca Fialdini concluded the segment on Muti by referencing the rapid trust formed between the actress and La Rocca, after Muti had stated in her pre-dance video package that her instructor had become her total support system.