Antonella Clerici announces Gino Paoli's death on live television
The host of È sempre mezzogiorno broke the news to viewers during Tuesday's broadcast, recalling her frequent encounters with the legendary singer.
11:58 AM
Antonella Clerici announced the death of Gino Paoli to viewers of her daytime talk show È sempre mezzogiorno on Rai 1 Tuesday, moments after the news reached the broadcaster during the program's live transmission.
"A bad piece of news has just arrived. Gino Paoli has passed away," Clerici said, opening her remarks about the 91-year-old singer-songwriter.
The host shared personal memories of her interactions with Paoli over the years. "I met him many times, and I loved his songs so much that one of my very successful programs was actually called Ti lascio una canzone—I Leave You a Song," she said. "He came to sing it many times."
Clerici reflected on Paoli's significance as an artist and his relationship with fellow performer Ornella Vanoni, who had recently died. "Gino Paoli was a great love and a great professional partnership," she said. "All these great elders—and I say it with great affection—who pass away... I'm very sorry because they gave so much to art, and Gino Paoli was really something special. My condolences to his family."
According to a statement from Paoli's family, the artist died peacefully at his home in Genoa, surrounded by the affection of his loved ones. In recent days, he had been briefly hospitalized at a private clinic before returning home.