Achille Lauro absent from Sanremo stage during Fedez and Masini introduction
The co-host skipped his scheduled slot to present the competing duo on the festival's second night, with Laura Pausini stepping in instead.
1 min ago
The second night of Sanremo 2026, broadcast Wednesday, saw an unscheduled change when Achille Lauro did not appear on stage to introduce Fedez and Marco Masini, who are competing in the festival with their song "Male necessario."
According to the official schedule distributed by RAI in advance, Achille Lauro was set to present the duo alongside host Carlo Conti. The song was scheduled as the 13th performance of the evening. However, when the moment arrived, Laura Pausini, the festival's fixed co-host, appeared on stage instead to make the introduction.
Lauro's absence from the stage during those minutes did not go unnoticed. The unexpected change sparked immediate discussion on social media and fan messaging groups dedicated to the festival.
After an earlier performance by Sal Da Vinci, Carlo Conti took the stage followed by Laura Pausini. Conti called for Lillo to join them on stage, but Lillo did not appear. Pausini responded with a quip, saying "He's gone to eat too," referencing an ongoing gag about the difficulty of finding time to eat during the festival. She then announced the performance by Fedez and Masini.