Barbara d'Urso joins Ballando con le Stelle jury on Rai 1 following YouTube debut
Italian television presenter Barbara d'Urso will join the jury of Ballando con le Stelle on Rai 1 starting 3 October 2026, ending months of speculation about her contract terms.
YouTube launch and official confirmation
Italian television presenter Barbara d'Urso confirmed her appointment to the jury of Ballando con le Stelle on 30 September 2026, ending months of media speculation. The announcement came through a nine-minute video published on her newly created YouTube channel ahead of the dance competition's return to Rai 1 on 3 October 2026. Hosted by Milly Carlucci, the upcoming season marks d'Urso's transition from contestant to judge. The presenter addressed recurring reports regarding her casting, stating that she chose her personal platform to clarify the facts directly to viewers. Her confirmation concludes summer-long reporting in Italian newspapers and weekly magazines regarding potential contract vetoes and delays.
We are talking about Ballando con le stelle precisely because over these months so many things were said that do not correspond to that famous truth, and the time has come for me to tell it to you.
Contract timeline and rebuttal of rumours
During her broadcast, d'Urso provided a chronology of her discussions with program producers. Initial talks began in late June 2026 with head author Giancarlo De Andreis, author Danila, and host Milly Carlucci. d'Urso stated that she accepted the invitation to join the panel in July, while the formal agreement from the Rai contracts department arrived on 17 September 2026, roughly two weeks before the broadcast date. She denied reports claiming she demanded an inflated salary, special contract clauses, or luxury accommodation in central Rome. According to her statement, she accepted the standard compensation package offered directly by Rai without making financial counter-demands.
- Appeared as guest dancer for one night
- Competed as a contestant with Pasquale La Rocca, placing third
- Production contacted d'Urso to propose a judging role
- Agreed to join the jury panel
- Rai contract office submitted formal agreement
- Launched YouTube channel and confirmed judging role
- Season premiere scheduled to air on Rai 1
I will be there with the fee that was offered to me by Rai.
From contestant to jury bench
The judging role follows d'Urso's previous history with the television franchise across recent editions. She first appeared on the Rai 1 program in 2024 in the guest role of dancer for a night before entering the 2025 season as a full contestant. Paired with professional dance partner Pasquale La Rocca, d'Urso finished in third place overall. Her 2025 run included a shoulder injury that required her to compete while wearing a visible brace on her left arm. On the upcoming panel, d'Urso will sit alongside judges Carolyn Smith and Guillermo Mariotto, stepping into the seat previously occupied for ten years by journalist Selvaggia Lucarelli.
Jury dynamics and new digital projects
Her arrival on the panel follows a 2025 season defined by direct clashes with Lucarelli, who repeatedly questioned d'Urso's television background and online audience. Their exchanges became a weekly fixture of the program, culminating in on-air disputes over scoring objectivity. Alongside her television return on Rai 1, d'Urso announced the start of a regular digital production titled Storie Incredibili on YouTube. The online project features a weekly format where she narrates personal stories submitted directly by members of the public. The weekly show on Rai 1 is scheduled to run on Saturday evenings over the next three months.
