Pippo Baudo's children boycott Rai studio dedication over planned sale of Teatro delle Vittorie
Tiziana and Alessandro Baudo refused to attend the October 1 inauguration of a Rai studio named after their late father, protesting the broadcaster's decision to decommission and sell Rome's Teatro delle Vittorie.
Absence at Saxa Rubra
On 1 October 2026, Italian public broadcaster Rai inaugurated the new Studio Pippo Baudo at its Saxa Rubra production center in Rome. The dedicated studio was constructed to host live television programming, beginning with the season premiere of the entertainment show Ballando con le stelle. The ceremony proceeded without the children of the late television presenter, Tiziana Baudo and Alessandro Baudo, who both declined to attend. Broadcaster chief executive officer Giampaolo Rossi and Baudo's longtime collaborator Dina Minna attended the ribbon-cutting event, while presenter Milly Carlucci noted the family's absence and suggested they might appear during the first live broadcast.
The Teatro delle Vittorie dispute
The family's decision to avoid the ceremony stems from Rai's plan to decommission and sell the Teatro delle Vittorie, a central production venue in Rome. Pippo Baudo, who passed away in 2025, filmed many of his defining entertainment programmes in the building. He had previously intervened to ensure that Rai purchased the theater rather than allowing private developers to convert the property into a supermarket. The venue later served as the location where the public and family gathered for his final farewell.
Tiziana Baudo explained the decision in an interview with Italian news agency ANSA, noting that a studio dedication at Saxa Rubra cannot offset the loss of the physical venue tied to her father's life work.
I did not participate in the inauguration of the Saxa Rubra studio due to a precise and consistent choice. Certainly not out of forgetfulness, nor out of a lack of respect. I certainly find it dutiful that Rai decided to remember my father. But I also believe that tributes make sense when they are consistent with the history they intend to celebrate.
- Television host Pippo Baudo passes away, with his final farewell held at the Teatro delle Vittorie
- Entertainers Renzo Arbore and Fiorello publicly campaign against Rai's plan to sell the Teatro delle Vittorie
- Rai inaugurates the Studio Pippo Baudo at Saxa Rubra in Rome without the presenter's children
- Tiziana Baudo explains the family's boycott decision in an interview with ANSA
Corporate reorganization and executive response
During the presentation of the Saxa Rubra facility, Rai chief executive Giampaolo Rossi addressed the public dispute surrounding the property sale. Rossi framed the new studio complex as a modern replacement for legacy infrastructure that the broadcaster no longer views as cost-effective or necessary for its ongoing broadcasting operations.
I take this opportunity to touch upon past controversies surrounding the Teatro delle Vittorie and its sale: the response to the disposal of premises and spaces no longer considered useful for the company is precisely this facility.
Tiziana Baudo disputed this rationale, questioning how the company could decommission the specific theater her father preserved while asserting that a newly built studio represents an equivalent tribute to his professional career.
Broadcaster opposition and government response
The proposal to sell the Teatro delle Vittorie has encountered resistance across Italian television. Longtime television personalities Renzo Arbore and Fiorello spoke publicly against selling the venue, which hosted productions featuring Mina, Raffaella Carrà, Mike Bongiorno, and Corrado. Fiorello called the potential transaction a crime against Italian entertainment during his broadcasts. On his Radio 2 show La Pennicanza, Fiorello shared a message from Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who stated that the government would examine potential measures to safeguard the site despite budgetary constraints.
