Francesca Fialdini, 'I'm going back to TV and I'm going to do threesomes'

The life stories of Da Noi... A Ruota Libera, Rai1's Sunday afternoon segment with a constantly updated look at current affairs; her commitment to the dance floor on Ballando con le Stelle; and then Attenti al libro, Rai3's new special evening dedicated to reading: Francesca Fialdini returns to TV and splits her time, ready to once again tackle different genres.

Starting Sunday, September 21st at 5:20 PM, she will once again be the host of Da Noi… A Ruota Libera': with a renovated studio, the program will once again feature interviews with leading figures in the entertainment world and the true, inspirational stories of ordinary people who have gotten back into the game. "Tomorrow," Fialdini explains, "with Veronica Pivetti and Carla Signoris, we'll discuss the issue of online groups that publish photos without consent, like 'My Wife.' Is this a trend that can be remedied? And where should we start—with the laws that prohibit these groups, or from further back? These are issues deeply rooted in current events and our times." Alongside the two actresses—"two intelligent, witty, and highly intelligent women," stars of the new Rai1 series Balene - Amiche per sempre—there will also be "Gabriel Garko in a new role and the immortal Lamberto Boranga," a sports legend.

Always sensitive to sensitive issues such as youth distress and eating disorders, Fialdini is convinced that among the most pressing issues right now is "the erosion of critical thinking, whereby masses of people follow the most vulgar propaganda without even suspecting it, or silencing it in order to hand over responsibility for their own consciences to someone who uses divisive and warmongering slogans. It's not so much a lack of empathy, but the absence of critical thinking, that is the true club of aggressive and coercive policies. The other issue is a child of the first. If leaders don't want to be disavowed, they also silence the outbursts of a civil society that wants to make itself heard, and in the absence of a strong and cohesive response, the former win. It's like the story of the boiled frog that dies without realizing it."

The Sunday afternoon slot will have to contend with increasingly fierce competition from Verissimo on Canale 5: "Sunday has always been a day characterized by a strong competitive offering, so this is certainly nothing new to me. I know what my goals are and those required by the company I work for, and I will continue to focus on the audience that has been lovingly following us for six years," the host reflects.

Starting September 27th, she'll be practicing merengue, waltz, and bachata on the dance floor of the 20th edition of Ballando: what made Milly Carlucci say yes? "The desire to learn new things, to challenge myself while being on the other side. After years of interviewing dancers and contestants on Ballando, I'm experiencing firsthand what it's like to be in the air, pretending gravity doesn't exist. Dance is an unknown universe, parallel to my own, so I have to work hard! I'm just working! But it's fun. For me, it's also about learning to move my body in a completely different way than I'm used to," she confesses. "In this first phase, there's a great atmosphere with the other contestants: camaraderie, smiles, and a lot of mutual kindness... at least until the first live broadcast. Then, they say, the gauntlets will start flying everywhere," she adds with a smile.

Very careful about her privacy, Fialdini isn't afraid to lay herself bare backstage and in clips, among the strengths of the Rai1 show: "I'm emotionally reserved, but I'm not afraid to let people know me as a person. In fact, it's right that people really see what it means to struggle with your fears or experience new emotions. You can feel the effort, the desire to succeed, in short, the rollercoaster that comes with a competition like this, which is also a great TV show," responds Fialdini, who swears she has no connection to the sport: "We haven't seen each other in years!"

On October 9th, he will host the primetime program "Attenti al libro" on Rai3: "It's intended, first and foremost, to be an invitation to curiosity. Because reading requires a curiosity to discover new worlds, even those far from us. But—be warned—it won't be a program for insiders or avid readers, but rather a primetime slot where books enter the television narrative with the power of their great stories, the emotions, and ideas they convey. It will be a journey that blends various languages—from storytelling to music—to show that reading isn't a solitary act, but a living, contagious gesture that speaks to the present and opens windows onto different worlds," he says. "Our goal, ultimately, is simple: to demonstrate that books can still be a tool for community, a bridge between generations and languages, an opportunity for encounter and dialogue in the 'cultural desert' we often denounce. Reading is beautiful and is for everyone," emphasizes Fialdini, who adores "the books of Elizabeth Strout, for example; she has a special gift for capturing the psychological nuances of her characters. My life's book? It's obviously impossible to name, but one that's been on my bedside table since 2006, and I flip through it every now and then, is Etty Hillesum's Diary. A wonderful example of how one can remain human in the deepest darkness. A very timely theme."