Vittorio Sgarbi enters intensive care at Rome Gemelli hospital in serious condition
Italian art critic Vittorio Sgarbi has been admitted to the intensive care unit at the Agostino Gemelli Policlinic in Rome in serious condition, hospital officials and Italian media reported on Wednesday.
Admission to intensive care in Rome
Italian art critic and television commentator Vittorio Sgarbi was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic in Rome on 30 September 2026. The online news portal Il Graffio first broke the report of his hospitalisation, which Italian news agencies including LaPresse subsequently circulated. Journalist Bianca Berlinguer also reported the development around midnight during the live broadcast of È sempre Cartabianca on television network Rete 4. Hospital representatives confirmed that Sgarbi remains admitted in the facility, though administrators have not yet released an official bulletin detailing the specific medical factors that prompted his transfer to maximum care. Reports from LaPresse indicated that his condition was considered serious upon admission.
- Sgarbi is hospitalised for about a month at Gemelli Policlinic for severe depression
- Court of Auditors rejects 200,000 euro claim over 121 professional activities
- Sgarbi is admitted to intensive care at Gemelli Policlinic in Rome
Past hospitalisations and legal disputes
The urgent admission marks Sgarbi's return to the Agostino Gemelli Policlinic following previous medical treatment at the same Roman hospital in 2025. Sgarbi was hospitalised at the facility for approximately one month during the spring of 2025, beginning in March 2025, to receive treatment for a severe form of depression along with other complications. Sgarbi spoke publicly about that medical period during his subsequent media appearances, stating that he had recovered from the depressive episode. In recent months, his health issues also led to a contentious legal battle involving his daughter. Hospital staff have kept him under continuous observation following this latest transfer.
Resignation from government and audit ruling
The medical emergency follows a series of legal proceedings connected to Sgarbi's previous government tenure as undersecretary of culture. Sgarbi resigned from his ministerial post following intense political disputes over outside professional remuneration. The investigation centred on 121 paid professional activities and consulting engagements carried out while he held his government office. The accounting prosecutor demanded that Sgarbi pay over 200,000 euros in compensation to the Ministry of Culture. In September 2026, the Court of Auditors dismissed the prosecutor's claims and acquitted Sgarbi of financial liability.
