Barbara D'Urso (born Maria Carmela D'Urso; 7 May 1957) is an Italian television presenter, actress and writer.

Career

D'Urso was born in Naples, Campania. Her father was from Laurenzana (died in 1996), and her mother, who died when Barbara was 11, was born in Sant'Eufemia d'Aspromonte.[1][full citation needed] She made her debut in 1977 in the programme Goal, alongside Diego Abatantuono, Teo Teocoli and Massimo Boldi. The following year she took part in the variety show Stryx. In 1979 she presented the programme Che combinazione broadcast on Rai 2, and the year afterward, together with Pippo Baudo, she appeared in Domenica in on Rai 1. That same year, 1980, she also made her debut as a singer, with the single Dolceamaro, which was not very successful.[2]

In 1984 she appeared naked on the front cover of Playboy and Playmen magazines.[3] After that, she started working for the television network of Silvio Berlusconi: she participated in a television fiction, and in 1995 she also presented Agenzia matrimoniale,[4] but she returned to the RAI with In famiglia[5] together with Le ragazze di piazza di Spagna,[6] Donne di mafia and Una donna scomoda.

She received moderate notability as a result of her performance in La dottoressa Giò (1997).[7]

Since then she has taken part in many reality shows. For three years D'Urso presented three editions of Grande Fratello, the Italian version of the Big Brother (one in 2003 and two editions in 2004).[8] In 2005 she was the host of the Italian version of The Farm. D'Urso maintained this role for two years.[8] In June 2005 she had a role in the TV series Ricomincio da me.[9]

In 2006 she took part in Reality Circus, which was unsuccessful,[10] and in 2007 with Uno due tre stalla.[11]

In January 2008 she presented Mattino Cinque, with Claudio Brachino;[12] this was followed in the spring of 2008 with Lo show dei record, dedicated to the Guinness World Records. In autumn 2008, she presented the prime time show Fantasia,[12] while in the season of 2008/2009 she hosted Pomeriggio Cinque and Mattino Cinque.

In the 2009/2010 season, she left Mattino cinque and became the presenter of Domenica Cinque, a Sunday afternoon programme, and Pomeriggio 5.[13] In the 2011 season she was replaced by Federica Panicucci.

In December 2010 she hosted the New Year Canale 5's show Capodanno cinque and, in January 2011, left Domenica Cinque to host the primetime show Stasera che sera!, which aired for only two episodes and was suspended because of extremely low ratings.[14]

In September 2011 she hosted the program Baila!, which was also cancelled after 4 episodes due to a court sentence for plagiarism of the program Dancing with the Stars.[15]

Discography

Singles

  • "Dolceamaro/Se mi guardi così" (1980)

Music videos

  • 2019 – Dolceamaro with Cristiano Malgioglio
Music videos by other artists with Barbara D'Urso
  • 2020 – Come Adamo ed Eva: Live Milano - The Club/Fidelio Éva Henger with Sciarra

Filmography

Films

Film roles showing year released, title, role played and notes
Year Title Role Notes
1985 Blues metropolitano Francesca Feature film debut
1989 Vogliamoci troppo bene Vanessa
1992 Non chiamarmi Omar Golda Fez
1995 Mollo tutto Bettina Giacobetti
Romanzo di un giovane povero Student's mother
1999 Il manoscritto di Van Hecken Giulia
All the Moron's Men Dr. Giorgia Basile
2004 Per giusto omicidio Barbara
2018 Il vegetale Herself Cameo appearance
Show Dogs Daisy (voice) Italian voice-over role
2021 Genitori vs. Influencer Herself Cameo appearance

Television

Television roles showing year released, title, role played and notes
Year Title Role Notes
1978 Stryx Herself/co-host Variety show (season 1)
1979 Delitto in via Teluada Annie Television film
1979–1980 Che combinazione Herself/co-host Variety show (season 2)
1980–1981 Domenica in Herself/co-host Talk show (season 5); also performing
1981 La casa rossa Gilda Miniseries
Un disco per l'estate 1981 Herself/co-host Annual music festival
1982 Fresco fresco Herself/host Variety show (season 3)
Giorno dopo giorno Alice Television film
1986 Buon Natale a tutto il mondo Herself/host Special
1987 La lunga notte di Biancaneve Herself/host Special
1987 Castrocaro Music Festival Herself/host Annual music festival
1992 Bony Gina Main role; 13 episodes
1995 Per amore - Dove porta il sentimento Herself/host Talk show
Doctor Giorgia - Una mano da stringere Dr. Giorgia Basile Television film
1996 Agenzia Herself/host Dating/Reality show
1996–1997 Mattina in famiglia Herself/host Talk show (season 8)
1997–2019 Doctor Giorgia Dr. Giorgia Basile Lead role
1998 Festival di Napoli Herself/host Annual music festival
Le ragazze di piazza di Spagna Dr. Giorgia Basile Episode: "Episode 1"
2001 Via Zanardi 33 Barbara 2 episodes
Donne di mafia Giulia Marotta Miniseries
2002 Lo zio d'America Magda Main role (season 1); 8 episodes
2002–2003 Ugo Veronica Co-lead role; 20 episodes
2003–2004 Grande Fratello Herself/host Reality show (seasons 3–5)
2004 Noi Chiara Doni Miniseries
Rocco Lucia Television film
Orgoglio Princess Maria Pia Main role (season 1); 13 episodes
2005–2006 La fattoria Herself/host Reality show (seasons 2–3)
Ricomincio da me Vera Molinari Lead role; 4 episodes
2006 Reality Circus Herself/host Variety show
2006–2009 Lo show dei record Herself/host Game show (seasons 1–2)
2007 Un due tre stalla! Herself/host Reality show
2008–2009 Mattino Cinque Herself/host Talk show (seasons 1–2)
2008–2023 Pomeriggio Cinque Herself/host Talk show
2009–2010 Domenica Cinque Herself/host Talk show (seasons 1–2)
2011 Baila! Herself/host Talent dance show
2012–2021 Domenica Live! Herself/host Talk show
2018–2019 Grande Fratello Herself/host Reality show (seasons 15–16)
2019–2021 Live - Non è la D'Urso Herself/host Talk show
2022 La Pupa e il Secchione Show Herself/host Reality show (season 5)

Documentary

  • Il Ribelle – Giacomo Franciosa (2010)

Theatre

  • Appuntamento d'amore – P. Passalacqua (1993)
  • E meno male che c'è Maria – P. Garinei (1999)
  • Lisistrata – Walter Manfrè (2002)
  • La vedova scaltra – W. Manfrè (2007)
  • Il letto ovale – G. Landi (2007–2008)

Books

  • Più forti di prima (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 2010)
  • Tanto poi esce il sole (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 2011)
  • Ma credo ancora nell'amore – Sopravvivere alle ferite del cuore (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 2012)
  • Ecco come faccio (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 2013)
  • La mia Contursi (Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 2014)

References

  1. ^ D'Urso talks about her origin in an interview of Victoria Cabello, in the TV show Victor Victoria - Niente è come sembra [it].
  2. ^ "Sito Orrore a 33 giri" (in Italian). 24 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  3. ^ "Sito gossipblog.it" (in Italian). 25 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  4. ^ "Ambra, matrimonio da 'Favola'. La D'Urso sostituisce la Flavi". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. 27 September 1995. p. 29. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Arriva la coppia Timperi-D'Urso". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. 27 September 1996. p. 37. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  6. ^ "'Piazza di Spagna' torna Attori: no alla serie lunga". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. 5 March 1999. p. 37. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  7. ^ "Rai vietata a Barbara D'Urso 'dottoressa' tv anti Gardini". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. 29 October 1998. p. 36. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  8. ^ a b "Marcuzzi verso il Grande fratello". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. 30 November 2005. p. 43. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  9. ^ Aldo Grasso (3 January 2006). "La fiction italiana piena di stereotipi". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. p. 47. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  10. ^ "Reality Circus: fine anticipata". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. 17 October 2006. p. 55. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  11. ^ Sandra Cesarale (17 March 2007). "Dodici pupe contadini. E Barbara D'Urso sfida Simona Ventura". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. p. 53. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  12. ^ a b Aldo Grasso (5 October 2008). "La 'Fantasia' è solo nel titolo". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. p. 61. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  13. ^ Emilia Costantini (1 September 2009). "'In tv temo il duello con Baudo. E a teatro sfido il mito Streep'". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Italy. p. 37. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  14. ^ "Tv: Mediaset, soppresso 'Stasera che sera' di Barbara D'Urso". informazione.it (in Italian). Italy. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Reclamo di Rti-Endemol rigettato dal tribunale: "Plagio da parte di Baila"". il giornale.it (in Italian). Italy. 21 October 2011. Archived from the original on 21 October 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011.

External links