Susanna Riva The fifty-one-year-old host arrived in Piazza Giudice for the fifth episode of the popular "Dancing with the Stars" on Rai 1, but attention was immediately diverted to her interactions with the other contestants. When the couple, Ornella Muti and Pasquale La Rocca , hit the dance floor, the cameras captured not only their footsteps but also a series of comments that put the spotlight on Barbara.
Barbara d'Urso's observations on Muti and La Rocca's choreography
During the discussion, the judge maintained a low-key tone, limiting herself to saying, “I won’t go into the details of the dance; I can only say that Pasquale La Rocca ’s productions always leave me speechless.” The sentence, though brief, set off a chain reaction.
Simona Ventura , known for her polemical streak, took the opportunity to launch a dig: “I wanted to ask Barbara a question, sorry, doesn’t Muti have ballerina feet?”
Milly Carlucci and Francesca Fialdini's countermoves
Barbara's attempt to change the tone – "So, shall we get on with the voting? Enough provocations, enough obsessions" – was immediately interrupted by Milly Carlucci , a veteran of the program, who gave the floor to Francesca Fialdini.
The latter pointed out the lack of the "chemistry" that had characterized their work with Pasquale last year: "How can we go from such a strong romance to what we saw in this episode? It's incredible that we can't find the words to describe what we saw."
Guillermo Mariotto enters the scene: the "tiger" judge
Veteran costume designer Guillermo Mariotto didn't want to sit back and watch. Calling Barbara a " television tiger ," he reiterated that her presence is contributing to ratings growth: "Dancing with the Stars is doing very well." The judge, however, added a critical note, recalling that last year the Ornella-Pasquale duo failed to reach the top: "Last year they came in third; this magic wasn't there at the level to reach first."
The accusations of jealousy and the host's responses
During the interview with Il Messaggero, Mariotto insinuated Barbara's possible "jealousy" toward Pasquale, suggesting they had an affair the previous year. The host dismissed the suggestion, asking the audience not to involve her in that story again and to move on to voting. "We're on the fifth episode, that's enough!" she declared, emphasizing her commitment to judging the choreographies without personal drama.
The audience result: 23,6% share
Despite the tension, the episode recorded a remarkable 23,6% share , demonstrating that the controversy helped maintain the audience's attention. The program's internal rules , printed on an entrance ticket, remind us of the importance of the audience warmer in coordinating applause, laughter, and moments of silence, a role that was particularly visible this year.
Barbara d'Urso 's presence on the judging panel transformed the evening into a veritable verbal duel, with Simona Ventura , Francesca Fialdini , Guillermo Mariotto , and Milly Carlucci ready to exchange their opinions. The ratings, however, confirm that the audience continues to faithfully follow us, fueled in part by the sparks generated by the judges' words.