Laura Pausini, Alessandro Cattelan and Mika will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Torino and the news will be officially announced during the Sanremo Festival in early February. That’s according to Italian news agency Adnkronos, which cites “well-informed sources.”
Rumours have swirled about all three of the stars for months. If Adkronos has it right, singer Laura and TV host Alessandro have already signed their contracts. Mika, who has repeatedly denied his involvement, is said to be poised to sign his contract imminently.
The official announcement is expected to come on the second night of Sanremo — that’s 2 February — because Laura is scheduled to appear as a special guest that evening, as you can read on the Italian-language web site EuroFestival News.
Eurovision 2022 hosts: Laura Pausini, Alessandro Cattelan and Mika
Laura Pausini
Back in December, Dagospia reported that Laura — among the best-known Italian artists in the world — was a hot favourite to host. She has won pretty much every major award you can think of — including an MTV Italian Music Award, Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy Awards, and Billboard Latin Music Awards.
She broke onto the scene by winning the newcomer’s section of the 43rd Sanremo Festival in 1993 with her debut single “La solitudine”. Her 2006 album Io canto was the best-selling album of the year in Italy.
You may remember that Laura performed her Oscar-nominated song “Io Si/Seen” at the 2021 Oscars pre-show.
Eurovision would fit in with her continued push on the international scene. As the paper reported, she’ll star in a film for Amazon later this year that she conceived herself.
“I was looking for something innovative in the scripts, but I didn’t feel the urge to tell myself. Then I realized there was one thing I wanted to share. I’ll try to tell it as honestly as possible,” she’s teased.
Alessandro Cattelan
Back in September, Rai 1’s director Stefano Coletta confirmed that Rai was in negotiations with Alessandro Cattelan to host the contest.
“I’m talking with Alessandro Cattelan also about Eurovision. As you know at this time Rai is focused on the city. The first communicative act that Rai will shortly provide you with. Then later there will be the work on who will represent and tell us about this event, but before you ask me, I’ve been talking about it for a few months with Alessandro, because there is also some technical work needed there. It’s not only the TV code, which is functional, but also skills, and one must have experienced a bit of that international stuff, that speed of storytelling that goes beyond the local and towards the global. For me, Alessandro can really be an important value for Rai”.
Cattelan, who is hosting Da grande, is very keen on the idea of hosting Eurovision.
“Eurovision would certainly be a great opportunity that, if it happens, would mean having to thank a lot of people because it would be a concatenation of lucky events. From Maneskin’s victory, from Maneskin’s choice at Sanremo, from Maneskin’s discovery at X Factor, from Marta Donà taking them all the way there.”
Cattelan presented X Factor and his manager is Marta Donà, who previously managed the Eurovision winning band.
“I would be almost a consequence of what has happened in recent months. It would definitely be a nice opportunity because my path started in those contexts, with MTV, the big MTV awards were the closest thing to Eurovision there is.”
MIKA
In October, Mika and his team denied — for a second time in as many weeks — that he’d be hosting Eurovision.
The denial came in an interview published by the French newspaper Le Journal du dimanche, after a journalist asked Mika once again if the rumour is true.
Mike appeared to be over it. He said: “I really don’t know what you are talking about. You must have read wrongly — change your glasses!”
It was, of course, a predictable outcome given Mika’s negative opinion about Eurovision. On the most recent edition of X Factor, Mika reinforced this sentiment several times, once calling a singer’s choreography “too Eurovision-y” — in a negative way.
The “Grace Kelly” hitmaker was even worried about competitors on his team choosing Eurovision tracks — yet another sign that his opinion on the song contest has not changed since he previously told French journalists that “most of the songs sent to the competition are shameful, they are pure s**t!”
Mika is a well-known performer and personality in Italy. Besides serving as a mentor on the Italian version of X Factor, he’s also starred in the popular variety series Stasera Casa Mika. It was a critical success, winning the Rose d’Or Award for Entertainment.
Are you excited about these three hosts? Do you think they’ll work well together? Let us know in the comments box below!
You know I like Mika and when the information of him hosting first leaked I thought that’s probably not true because of his comments before. However I’m happy he’s hosting because he’s great. I have seen i think 3 interviews where he talked about eurovision in 2012 and 2015 and to be honest I have to agree with some of the things he said, like that there are many songs that are kinda trash and not really good (which to me also made it fun to watch) but that there are always 3 or 4 songs which are really good… Read more »
It’s confirmed. Laura Pausini, Alessandro Cattelan and Mika will host ESC2022. The leak came out from RAI sources to the weekly magazine Sorrisi e Canzoni TV.
I didn’t know Mika made such statements. What a rude and shameful behaviour… Forget about this arrogant individual and bring over someone who actually appreciates the contest instead.
Why Mika? He doesn’t deserve to host! Have someone who genuinely loves Eurovision like Senhit. She deserves it way more than that douche canoe!
where is senhit
Nobody knows Senhit in Italy. She is not a celebrity, even though she was born in Italy. Forget that RAI will give such important role to somebody who is not known.
Didn’t this Mika say something about the Eurovision Song Contest in a negative context?
He did more than once. Very disrespectful things.
He did say he would not compete because of the quality, never about not hosting. And even if he did so what? Life is to short to hold grudges about waht someone said a year ago, especially as something as insignificant as ESC is in the long run. Forget and move on!
never forget. that is someone with no values to talk crap about something then go hosting.
I don’t know Laura Pausini as a TV host, but as a songstress she has been a terrific flagship for Italy’s contemporary culture for decades. So … yeah, good choice, I’d say! But as for Mika … after all his trash talk about the contest, why even bother to convince him? If he’s reluctant and thinks he’s too good for that and above the ESC and all its participants, just brush him off instead of probably offering him even more money to do it. Honestly, if that rumour is remotely true, he really shouldn’t have been offered the job. That… Read more »
Insulting Mika and calling him a prick because he said that some song are trash (he is 100% right) does make you feel better? Some comments make me ashamed to be here and commenting.
Believe me, I’d welcome that, but after scrolling through those 30+ troll comments you’ve left on this article alone, I highly doubt you stick to the truth when you say so.
And you are pathetic, too.
Oh, the irony …
Hey Vincenzo if you agree with Mika you should not be on A ESC fansite
Ok. So please continue your war against him. You are pathetic. Why I cannot be an eurofan and being on this site? I didn’t say I don’t like all the songs from ESC, but I like only the “good songs”. The “disco dance euro pop copy and paste discarded by Melfest and composed/produced by some swedish producer and sold to other countries (like Cyprus or San Marino)” are surely not quality songs that will be remembered. 1941 by Jamala, Sound of Silence by Dami Im, Euphoria and many other are very good songs. So, tell me why, according to your… Read more »
By the way, just to remind you … apparently, calling it out half of Eurovision’s entries as ‘merde’ made your beloved Mika feel better. But seemingly you still don’t think HE should feel ashamed of hosting Eurovision now. So why do you bother about my remarks then? 😉
He didn’t say ‘some’ he said ‘all’
So, maybe he changed his mind? Maybe he likes Måneskin and is happy they won so to his eyes the quality of the contest has been increased? Or maybe he loved the song from Barbara Pravi and Gjon’s Tears arriving second and third? Things can change you know? But not for you. So someone telling one thing at one time, is condemned for life and deserves to be called arrogant prick by you, the supreme court of the Eurovision fans? Now, according to you, either he accepts for money, for recognition, for success etc. Not, maybe, because he has a… Read more »
Anyway I follow ESC from 30 years, even when it was not broadcasted in Italy and I had to follow on obscure foreign satellite televisions, or on Antenne/France 2. Probably even before many of you were born. So I’ve seen many bad songs throughout the years. I know what I am talking about. And, for info, I was preferring when the songs were in national languages, not around 90% in english like now.
So you think just to please the Italian audience that loves him, he agrees to get thrown under the bus by all the ESC community? I don’t say you’re definitely wrong on that, but I think he would be advised badly if that was his only reason to host. Also … if he really has had a change of heart, we’d surely take it as a first step. It wouldn’t be a guarantee for redeeming himself from all the sh*t he has said about the thing those thousands he’s going to stand in front of love the most. But I’m… Read more »
I am not the P. R. of Mika. And I am not his brainless fan either. I am only a 54y.o. man passionate of ESC from ages who keeps a critical eye on the contest, and doesn’t acritically likes all the entries because I have my personal musical tastes that I want to preserve and have the right to express. I have probably a different background, age and life experiences than most of you. I am a musician myself. But I don’t like to crucifix someone on the public place because of some sentences he said in the past. First… Read more »
Well … yes. Yes, but no. As you know, nobody on here likes all the songs. And there always were, always are and always will be crap songs. No need to argue about that. Actually calling half of it crap still was indeed rather impolite, to say the least. And yes, the host of a show doesn’t necessarily have to like the show’s content. But as far as his statements go, he even appears to hate it … no matter whether as a participant or in general. At least that was, how the majority appears to have read it. And… Read more »
*past host country
Why I believe Mika can be a wonderful host, together with Pausini? Because he is a charming entartainer, can sing and, together with Laura Pausini, can transform an interval act of a medley of eurovision song in an explosive performance like the one of Petra Mede and Mabs Zermelow in Stockholm 2016. Mika already did it during his show “Stasera Casa Mika” when he was singing in a duet with different singers, like Giorgia, etc. He was funny and was changing costumes live, just like the Love Love Peace Peace performance. That’s why he is the best choice around. Additionally… Read more »
Just look here:
https://youtu.be/_shzBBwVUVg
https://youtu.be/HEc6xL-HU3M
https://youtu.be/C-BFBmMUfOY
and here as a pure entartainer holding the game to the comic genious Luciana Litizzetto:
https://youtu.be/tbzt0DWz1w4
He did also some taxi candid camera:
https://youtu.be/08HBLn7ism4
Unfortunately there are only a few clips of this show on Youtube, but you can subscribe to RAI Play, RAI own’s streaming service, and see all the 8 tv shows.
get a room guys!
well
said
I think that Laura Pausini is the favourite Italian person for the Spanish people, now that Raffaella is no longer with us. It will be great having her hosting Eurovision!
I worry about Mika because his past disdain for the contest will surely show through at some point. I hope he proves me wrong. We want hosts who love the contest, like Assi Azar.
We don’t have Assi Azar in Italy.
You have Senhit
Even if he handles it professionally and doesn’t let his negative opinion about the contest shine through during the shows, I desperately hope he’s about to get booed off the stage, unless he gives an apology or at least explanation for his past comments anytime soon.
IF that report is true, I really don’t understand why RAI felt they relied on him.
Wonderful. Well, if you, foreign fans, intend to come to Turin to boo one host that RAI has selected, please stay at home and wait your country wins it. It’s not a stadium. And you are not drunk hooligans but civilized people (am I wrong?). If you intend to disrupt the normal flow of our Italian eurovision song contest, don’t come. I am sure we, Italians, will be able to fill the Palasport Olimpico and cheer the hosts and singers. And not booing anybody, starting from Mika. We don’t want a replay of the Euro soccer championships where the local… Read more »
Again, it’s not about Italy. It’s about someone who’s supposed to represent something he publicly bad-mouthed at least half a dozen times.
No, it’s about calling eurofans here to boo against someone who said his advice (because we are in a democracy and anybody has the right to say anything, especially if he’not insulting or intimidating anybody), according to his musical taste and now you threaten him to boo him if he doesn’t give you a explanation in a timely manner. Your behaviour is pure intimidation. Who are you? God? Jesus Christ? You don’t even read what you write. Included the “arrogant prick” insult.
Also, I can neither threaten nor intimidate him as I won’t be present in Turin. Additionally … how would I even be able to threaten or intimidate him?
f you think the audience will boo him you would be wrong. Only die hard fans will know and care about his comments. majority won’t know or care enough, audience included. Also if you think RAI will allow anybody too be hooligans and boo a host they chose for a contest they fought long years to get you would be wrong too
These are not fans, these are hooligans. Like the ones who boo the national anthem of another soccer team just because they believe their own team is a religion that cannot be criticized and the faith to their own team is the only one allowed. I am sure that during the press conference there will be a lot of big mouth journalist and crazy escfans that will ask 200 questions on this matter to Mika, so we will have the answers to why he accepted to host the ESC 2022 in Italy despite the bad judgements of the past. And… Read more »
I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see. After all, I think at least half of the audience will be made up of those die-hard Eurovision fans. But of course we know there’s that anti-booing technology in place since 2016 or so. Sometimes it worked well, sometimes it worked less good.
Anyway … it might all be irrelevant if he only tried to accommodate those he has offended before. And that really shouldn’t be too much to ask for.
I honestly think they couldn’t have put better people to host the show.
I hope they could alternate themselves in the green room cause usually the green room host is the best part of the show and it’s not broadcasted on tv, UNLESS a fourth name is coming.
Eurovision has also experienced quite a success with the online series hosted by nicki tutorials, are they going to continue to ask her to host it or they want to find someone else from Italy?
Interesting how RAI can afford two world popstars to host.
The real money taker I think it’s Laura cause Alessandro is under contract with Rai so I don’t think there will be a big payment for his part.
Talking about Mika… his X Factor Cachet is 200 thousand Euros per season so, he’s not the A list star he was once…
Are you their tax accountant? You seem very informed.
mika is not an international star.
he is just an i diot who has a connection with a big name in italy, hence all this push,
He who is without sin cast the first stone So nobody of you have ever done or say something wrong in your life? Yes Mika has been critical about ESC. And he has expressed it clearly. Many other stars have had the same idea and have refused to take part And let’s be honest. For a long period ESC, mostly in the early 2000, wasnt considered a qualitative show. But now things have changed a lot The quality is growing more and more with winners smashing the charts. So, maybe, Mika have changed his mind. And yes, he is an… Read more »
Wise words. But here it seems Mika is marked by shame forever. Cast the first stone the one who is without sin.
If we are going to have Mika then yes let’s give him a chance. He is hardly going to be a convert to the contest if he gets ripped to shreds by the sometimes very savage fandom.
If Mika really changed his mind, I’m pretty sure our little bubble would appreciate a statement from him confirming just that.
Unless that happens, I’ll just have to assume his principles and opinions can be very easily bought as long as his urge for money is big enough.
We are not talking about 2000. Rather October 2020.
Mika can’t be taken serious if he ends up hosting, right? Does he simply wants the exposure? Does RAI desperately want international names (like Daniela Ruah, Bar Refaeli, NikkieTutorials in previous years)?
Italy is full of talent with international recognition, there simple must be more than 3 people who don’t despise Eurovision and would be willing to host.
Daniella Ruah and Nikkie were big fans beforehand however.
Is this the 12th article on Mika hosting?? It has to be some kind of practical joke at Mike’s expense at this point. I’d question not only the decision making at RAI but also Mika himself if this is true.
To start a funny conspiracy theory: Those rumours about Mika hosting the contest are really nothing but a running gag. In reality, they gave the job to Aly Ryan.
Alessandro Cattelan is a perfect choice , it would be amazing if other 2 were Diletta Leotta and Carolina Di Domenico. At least they are Italian (unlike Mika) and they are actually TV presenters (unlike Laura Paucini)
It is Laura Pausini and not Paucini and she had her own show and she hosted other programmes. Plus she was a judge for XFactor, The voice and La Banda in Spain, Mexico and US. Mika had his own show in Italy and he was offered to host Sanremo Festival.
It’s funny to see how Mika changed his mind when money is close
https://wiwibloggs.com/2015/06/12/mika-eurovision-bbc/98012/
Just for info, Mika said no to participate as singer. He has never said no to participate as host. Also because no country winning has ever proposed him to host. All the speculations or the critics here are groundless. Maybe he said yes to RAI because RAI has been the first TV to assign him a full show, Stasera Casa Mika, hosted by him back in 2016/17, or for the successful stream of good scores of the italian acts in the last years. Or maybe he evaluated the quality of such Italian acts. Maybe the worldwide success of Måneskin has… Read more »
I understand your point of view but what I try to explain it’s that Italia can find somebody else to host it, somebody who doesn’t tell that all the songs that we can ear in this show are crap
Agree
Funny thing is that Laura Pausini is actually a huge name in my country, and has been for two decades. It’d be amazing seeing her host ESC22
Let’s be honest. Fact is that Mika isn’t that “famous” anymore. Only his debut album had some success and it was more than 15 years ago… His following records were barely noticed, so I guess he’s no longer in the radar of most people out there. So, stop pretending he’s an international mega star because he is not. Maybe back in 2006, but not now.
He’s indeed more famous than you. I like when somebody plays to destroy people who deserve our praise. He may not be famous because young people like you prefer rap/trap songs sung by people who don’t have a voice and need to sing with the autotune. Mika is also a composer of his songs. And he still does concert for people who like quality pop with an orchestra.
He isn’t famous for those who don’t follow him. He had concerts with symphonic orchestras in many cities, both in Europe and USA. He will be in Coachella. Nobody invites a singer in Coachella if he is totally unknown. I find your statements pure evilness. And from someone who may have other tastes in music.
‘He isn’t famous for those who don’t follow him’ basically is like saying ‘He isn’t known by those who don’t know him’.
Sorry, dear Nils. I don’t follow Lady Gaga, she is not my preferred singer. I don’t remember when she published the last album. But I don’t see anybody here writing that Lady Gaga is a perfect nobody in the showbiz. She is probably not focused anymore in producing music but has different taste and acts more than being a singer. Mika has been famous in the past. His debut album made an incredible success. I know also the following albums and I love even more some of the songs on those. But now he has turned to TV, shows, music… Read more »
I never meant to say he was a total unknown (and in case you thought so, I also wasn’t the one who brought up Lady Gaga – but someone else did a few comments above this one ;-)). Mika sure was pretty famous across all of Europe during his heyday, there’s no denying of that. And everything else you’ve said is just as correct. But given the fact that his glory days are long gone (at least in the most parts of Europe), it’s a bit peculiar to talk so spitefully about something way more popular and successful than himself.… Read more »
I can’t say I know who the two men are, but Laura Pausini is amazing and so charismatic! I’d be very excited to see her host.
But….. Who will be the main hosts ? Laura-Alessandro, or Laura-Mika or Alessandro-Mika?
Laura Paussini and Raffaela Carrá that would have been amazing.
Always al lot of love for our Raffaella.
When the pandemic started, Raffaela Carrá was ready to record an entire episode of her show with Mika, but she had to postpone it.
Thanks, Vale. I know it. Raffaella was ready to record an episode of her last show” A raccontare comincia tu” with Mika, the other three episodes were with Emma Marrone, Tiziano Ferro and Achille Lauro.
If you had to think of a dream host for Eurovision, Mika would certainly be a prime candidate. Famous all over Europe, very musical, speaks multiple languages, comes off well on camera, has experience with big tv shows, has a sense of humour. Who cares that he has criticized the contest in the past, the internet is a bit like North Korea sometimes in its unforgivingness.
The people who downvotes you is so sick and sad.
Yikes. I have to say… the aggressive Mika stans in these comments going out of their way to attack and insult people for simply disliking a singer are doing way more to make ME dislike Mika than anything I read in the article…
Good. I don’t care. I don’t like, on the contrary, people who crucifies forever somebody because he expressed one day his views on the quality of some eurovision songs. I call it integralism or, maybe, under certain circumstances, fascism.
Using terms like ‘fascism’, ‘religious integralism’, ‘like North Korea’ to describe people disliking a celebrity is grossly insensitive.
It also seems clear that people don’t dislike him for his opinions; they dislike him participating in something he derides instead of sticking to his principles.
I’m not a Mika stan by any stretch, but objectively the guy would just make a great Eurovision host. It’s unhealthy if people aren’t allowed to say anything negative about Eurovision. I’d much rather have someone just speak their mind. If I take someone from my own country, Waylon, he’s been just as critical but he participated twice because he does see the potential and the fun of Eurovision. What’s wrong with that?
No one has to be a fan of Eurovision. However, to make money off of something you don’t like or believe in… I understand why people disapprove of that. A person should back up their words with their actions.
And maybe he is an amazing host, I don’t know Mika, but having a host be someone who publicly despises and ridicules the music he’s presenting… seems like a bad idea to me.
So the only real question for you is about him having preferred to be true by words rather than by actions… ’cause in fact, among all Eurovision-friendly people who could host the event and be loved by Euro-fans, how can you be so positive about what they used to think of Eurovision songs? And about making money… well, none of them is gonna be histing forfree, are they?
Yes, he’s multilingual, is/was famous and has hosting experience. But he didn’t just say something negative about Eurovision.
He actually despises it – and made that clear multiple times. How can he be a good choice then?
And what about those aggressive Mika haters who downvotes everyone who writes something nice about Mika? Is that such a crime to like someone who isn’t a fan of ESC? Is not liking ESC reason to ban someone forever? ESC fans really can get defensive and toxic sometimes..
The comments that are actually nice about Mika, like yours, have positive likes. The ones that don’t are only nice about Mika through rudely insulting people who dislike him being host (“like North Korea” / “sick and sad” / “fascism” / “Get a life outside Eurovision” / “you’re a religious integralist” / “you only criticize because your a*s still burns that Italy won”)… Those comments are the defensive and toxic ones, surely.
Sorry if you found some of my “shortcuts” to explain the situation as dangerously insulting. I don’t want to insult anybody. I just find sad those who downvoted someone when he comments positivelty on Mika and that he has the 100% right to present the ESC, or he just is a good singer.
Fact is that Mika isn’t that “famous” anymore. Only his debut album had some success and it was more than 15 years ago. The following records were barely noticed, so I guess he’s no longer in the radar of most people out there.
Before starting a comment by saying ‘fact is that…’, I suggest you accurately check yours.
He is so “not famous anymore” that he has been invited to next Coachella music festival. Come on. Just tell you don’t like his music because you have other musical tastes and we forgive you.
Spill I do not like his music because it sounds like Music for boomers
I am a boomer? Good question. Do I have to kill myself or am I obliged to love all your best preferred rap/trap singers without any knowledge on musical compositio because it is produced by a producer on a computer, “singers” who cannot sing without utotune, doesn’t have the vocal extensions and wonderful falsetto that Mika has? Just to know. From where the ESC fans must only be under 30? I am curious. Tell me, all the fans who watch ESC from 30 years like me (and many other) shall be buried alive and cannot express their POV anymore?
Laura Paussini – – great!!!
Mika – fff…
I find it hard to believe that Mika would host Eurovision given how in the past he said the contest sucks. Why would he do a complete 180 and agree to host it then?
Money
Money and Fame (Well, let’s be honest, most of Europeans don’t even remember him anymore, he had no hits after a few many years ago & he was only seen on French and Italian TV).
From which country are you from? Certainly not from France and Italy, where Mika is popular and he is present every year. The world doesn’t turn only around your Anglo-American point of view.
Actually, your definition of ‘Anglo-American’ fits literally any European country but those you’ve named. Just take a look at the wiki page about his discography.
He wish the success of Maneskin, but still he makes stupid comments about Eurovision.
But, hey wait, I wanna host that horrible show…
Such a hypocrite!
Wonderful choice. And to those who continue to say Mika is not Italian, please think to those who invite a foreign singer to represent their country. Mika is a celebrity in Italy. Has worked for RAI before, he is charming, speaks english and french and can eventually be part of a musical act with a revival of past songs from Eurovision. I said from the beginning he was the right choice, and he was going to be one of the hosts. He has the right to change his mind, or keep also his advice that many songs presented to ESC… Read more »
In this case, I agree with you and upvoted your comment. All of your arguments are legit and make sense. But still he should give an explanation to those who love the contest and were offended by his remarks, otherwise he’d just be an hypocrite arse doing it solely for the money.
I am sure he will explain his thoughts or explain his vision on music and why he said songs are crap. But, again, he has accepted to participate as a host, not as a singer. Do you think Gigliola Cinquetti thinks all the recent eurovision songs are masterpieces? I don’t think so. Each one has the freedom to speak freely on his own tastes. That’s the right to critic. Think to the journalists who voted 3 or No vote to some of the acts of Sanremo 2022. There are many songs below the score of 5. So what? Do we… Read more »
having an opinion and say straight up lies are two different things. He may not like Eurovision but his statement that ESC entries suck and are bad are STRAIGHT UP LIES
Eurofans are incredible and this year they are giving it their all. The edition hosted by Italy constantly targeted, as if Rai was the as*hol* of European television. Now even the choice of Mika leads to heavy criticism. Rai manages to bring on stage to host an international popstar who has had several hits and successes even on television in various European countries but no, since he said that some Eurovision songs suck (what a sacrilege, only Eurofans can say that about songs they don’t like!) then it is not a good choice, better than him even a Z series… Read more »
Why do you think Italy was targetted? The only criticism I ever noticed was related to those constant rumours about Mika hosting. Did I miss something?
Well, you definitely missed a lot, but some things I read mostly on Twitter. I’m talking in general and not only about this article. Starting from the constant references to Rome 1991, to Italy often being defined as messy, to the wave of disgusting comments on slogan and logo (destroyed by yesterday’s explanation of the graphic concept) and so on.
I find it offensive that people say Mika shouldnt host because he is not Italian. Thats not spirit of ESC. Besides Italy is his second home, he basically lives there now. As for hating ESC its ok to have change of heart. Everyone deserves second chance
He has a wonderful home close to Florence. So he has all the right to be one of the hosts of the Italian ESC. Of course there will be people here that are very angry that Mika accepted the task for Italian ESC and not for other. So they will add it to the list of criticisms to the logo, the banner, the motto and the not Italian host. Give us a break. Italy and RAI has the right to select whatever they like. It’s our ESC, not yours.
We accept your choice, but a lot of us remember all his “nice” messages about ESC.
The problem is not his nationality, it’s his horrible words about Eurovision.
Maybe you like to be insulted and smile and pay him money, not me.
We don’t care. I share his views that a lot of ESC songs were and are crap. So I don’t have the right to say it? Do I have to censor myself? Come on. You seems like the religious integralist who thinks that only his religion has the right to exist. Not the others. May I say the song by Verka Serduchka (2007) is crap for me? And the song from Jamala 2015 was wonderful? I chose two ukranian songs to avoid any angry comment from my beloved Ukranians (considering what they are suffering now). Do I have the right… Read more »
Either you know fine well how Salvador was trashed for his comments as well or your just some troll Mika fanboy crying your heart out because of the backlash he deservingly receives now. He wasn’t just critizicing one song, he basically bashed them all.
Also, as of now, he never indicated a change of heart.
Furthermore, I’ve never read of anyone who had a general problem with Italy winning it last year. It’s not about Italy at all. You’re apparently just being whiny because Mika get criticized right now.
No, not everyone deserves a second chance. Sorry.
Who are you to decide that? God? Martin Osterdahl? Come on. Get a life outside Eurovision.
I find it offensive to trash talk a show watched by millions thinking your music is better and when you don’t have any hits for years you host it cause you need fame.
Mika is already known, he doesnt need fame. If he is interested in hitting top charts he would have done it. That doesnt mean he doesnt have a career. Second of all, everyone can have a change of heart. Salvador Sobral trashed the contest too and people forgave him. Not liking ESC is not a major offence. For most people its still only a fun thing..
Let me just fix that … *was*
Chiara Ferragni or Eletra Lamborgini pls 🙁
Chiara Ferragni has never hosted anything and I don’t think RAI gives such an important show to someone with jo experience. Additionally rumours say she didn’t have the courage to host.
So , Laura Paucini did ? Which shows she hosted may i ask you?
He hosted a show with Paola Cortellesi on RAI1 some years ago.
Yes, she did have her own tv variety show. Actually she hosted different shows. She was also judge for The Voice (Spain, Mexico), X Factor (Spain), La Banda (US). Also her name is Pausini, not Paucini.
So what? Bara Rafaeli also did not host anything and she was one of the main host in Israel … same for Nicki Tutorial i guess 🙂 i do not have anything againts host but i just say (same like u) my opinion – dont understand “-“ …
Y”all remember how Odessa was “imminently” going to be announced as a host city? I’m not saying anything…
Delete Mika and it would be perfect.
My words!!!!
People are complaining about MIka, but it is important to remember for the sake of consistency that the most successful and celebrated winner of modern times (points-wise) was an eurovision hater himself.
Salvador Sobral
Look, I’m not Mika fan, but saying he shouldn’t host because he isn’t Italian is pretty offensive. I remember the last time the UK hosted Eurovision, and who presented it? A Swedish woman and an Irish man.
Exactly! In previous years, Mika has been even offered to present Sanremo Festival, which is practically one of the most important programme in Italy. So, Italians have a right to decide the hosts!
Please, no Mika
I was convinced we were gonna meet the presenters at the allocation draw…
No. The allocation draw should have been hosted by Carolina Di Domenico and Gabriele Corsi but he was tested positive yesterday so he will not host the draw. Nobody knows if he will be replaced or Carolina will host by herself.
Mario Acampa instead of Gabriele Corsi
Good. He already commented the last 3 Junior ESC. Additionally he is from Torino so he’s already there and available. 🙂
Jon ola sand will come to host
Take it away!
Replace Mika with Fiorello or Amadeus and I will be happy. We don’t need an Eurovision hater as a host.
i’d really want A&F to be part of it but i’m not sure if they speak English/French. I couldn’t find any information about it
Replace it with your sister. Fiorello and Amadeus don’t speak english. Is that clear for you?
But you were fine with a Eurovision hater as a winner… (2017).
Consistency, jump on me!!!
Have I said that?
Laura Paucini is a singer not even a TV presenter and Mika is not even Italian.. There’s no TV Presenters left in Italy i guess.
When you will organize the ESC you will select the hosts you want. Here it’s RAI who selects, and me, as Italian and follower of the ESC from 30 years, I am fully happy.
Strange, I never read a comment from you saying Jan Smit and Edsilia Romblay from Rotterdam 2021 were not professional hosts but singers.
actually TV hosting is their job but you can be sure i would say that i don’t like it when somebody who’s not a TV presenter hosts the show , no matter which country is the host 🙂
I believe professional and experienced/educated TV presenters should host it. And we’re talking about Italy , if it was a little country i would understand maybe they don’t have an English speaker TV presenter but i’m sure Italy has many of them.
Finding a professional TV presenter able to speak fluently and without a strong italian accent 3 languages, italian, english and french, also able to sing and maybe do some dance moves on the stage is not that easy. Additionally he must possibly be humorous and funny to pick up any possible occasion to spice up the show. If he is able to sing, dance, RAI has the possibility to engage the hosts in an interval act such as the Love Love Peace Peace with Petra Mede and Mans Zermelow. But we don’t have a Petra Mede in Italy. We had… Read more »
Can we just not have Mika pls…
Where can I sign the petition for Mika not to host?
On a peace of toilet paper whatever
Ahaha. Alessandro. You are a devil. Coming here and fire up the Santa Barbara.
As a big Mika fan I’m feeling very conflicted. It would be great if he would be one on the hosts. But considering his past comments about Eurovision I don’t know if the Eurovision fan in me also wants this.
the announcement of an announcement
if this rumour is true, then Mika being there as one of the presenters is, for me, a bit redundant, especially due to him not being originally Italian, plus his previous attitude (I don’t know if his attitude now changes) towards the contest. Laura Pausini and Alessandro Cattelan are more than enough.
No, they are not enough. During the voting session 2 hosts must be on the main stage and another one (at least) in the green room.
not necessarily, tho. in 2011, Anke was alone on stage during the voting, and in 2016 Petra was also alone for the jury voting.
i’m happy that mika is in. laura and alessandro are of course amazing as well!
Laura Pausini won also a Grammy award, not only the Latin ones. Regarding Mika, the article doesn’t explain why Italy would choose him. Mika has been involved on Italian tv and music scene for many years and he won also the European award for the best entertainment show for his own programme (award managed by EBU). Also, it is positive that someone who critisized Eurovision in the past (for the right reasons) he has changed his opinions.
But seeing that he categorically denied involvement in hosting back in October and didnt appear to be too complementary towards esc, it seems unlikely that he would do a complete 180 on his attitude in that short of an amount of time.
Nobody can’t disclose anything, before signing a contract. Mika criticisms towards Eurovision correspond to the same criticisms done by Italy and its consequent withdrawal from the competition in the past. Plus, having two Grammy awards winners as hosts will be certainly a good point for Eurovision.
I understand that he cannot disclose it but how he denied it was questionable to me at least.
well, do u think he was allowed to say that he is hosting it?
Probably not but to deny it in the way he did was also questionable and his remarks that he made recently about Eurovision have been very negative. Do you want someone who not only doesn’t care about the contest but also goes out of their way to talk negatively about it to be one of the hosts?
The fact he denied is maybe connected to the fact that his name was “outed” by Corsi and EBU wants to control and manage the communication and cannot allow any news being disclosed beyond their control and authorization? Maybe Gabriele Corsi (who surely is informed because he commented in italian ESC last year), was announcing something that should be kept secret and he had to deny his announcement. Same as Mika, who probably was in negotiation with RAI but was mandated by EBU to deny the rumours in order to respect the schedule EBU had in mind to announce everything.
Perhaps, that could well be the case. I still think his attitude about the competition even in recent months is still much to be desired.
“The past” in this context is only a couple months ago (his negative reactions to Eurovision on X Factor). Has his opinion really changed so drastically in such a short time? You seem to not like the old contests, and given you’re here commenting and taking part in the community right now I assume you like the current state of the contest. But Mika is still speaking of Eurovision as a bad thing, as late as in 2021. From his attitude it doesn’t seem like he’s seen any improvement at ESC at all. For that reason I don’t think he’s… Read more »
A couple of months ago?! When exactly? And what did he say on XFactor? I really doubt that William (who wrote the article) watched the XFactor episode in Italian, because he doesn’t speak the language. So I want to know in which episode Mika made the remarks towards the Eurovision. William wanted just to criticise the choice of Mika as host and he didn’t even explain why Italy wants him as a presenter. Also I struggle to read in the article that EBU gave Mika an award for his show in Italy as best European entertainment show. William also doesn’t… Read more »
I’m not sure if William himself watched those X Factor episodes, but given the Wiwibloggs team includes Italian speakers I assume one of them knew of those comments? It seems like a more reasonable explanation than William simply making it up and hoping no-one who’s watched the Italian X Factor happens to read this article. A link to the source would be helpful though, you have a good point there.
This comment is long buried now, but in case an Italian speaker sees this, can Mika’s comments on X Factor be confirmed?
People who love Eurovision present it better.
I honestly hope MIKA will not be a host, after the various comments he has made in previous years about Eurovision!
If this is what RAI has chosen I’m disappointed, country with almost 60 million people and then we wound up with him? Awful.
Full of awe.
In Italy we are open to foreigners, Mika included. And to tourists. In the past we allowed to many foreign people to become famous hosts in Italy. Don Lurio, Heather Parisi, Kessler Sisters, Thomas Milian (actor), etc. So we feel Mika as being one of us, especially because he learnt Italian in 3 weeks to present Stasera Casa Mika. The love he expresse throughout the years to my country is enough for me to accept him as an host for the italian ESC. The problem is only on your side and the other haters who pretend the host to be… Read more »
I really don’t want Mika to host, he clearly isn’t interested and him pretending to like ESC probably won’t be convncing. Say what you will of other hosts, but at least they seem to enjoy being there. We won’t be getting another Petra but i’d prefer Another Jan Smit over Mika.
Another Jan Smit as in an amateur presenter who sucks at speaking English, but does his best at doing his job and enjoys what he’s doing/has charisma? Or am I misunderstanding it?
Jan never said a single bad word about Eurovision. Mika said plenty of them
Ah, sorry for misunderstanding.
Ok. So we will burn him on public place. Let me know, Eurovision is a kind of religion that cannot be criticized? It’s a Greek God? Come on. Stop being so integralist. Anybody can criticize anything. I criticize Sanremo each year (especially because it lasts too much and watching it until the end is a pain), but I watch it every year.
I don’t know about you, but I also don’t publicly declare to hate something only to make some money from the very same thing.
Exactly, way better than anyone who clearly doesn’t like it.
Another Jan Smit saying that Italy is land of pizza and sambuca? I can say The Nederlands is land of marijuana, sex shops and bike thieves (I have personally seen a guy hammering the lock of a bike on the crowded docks in Amsterdam, jump on it and go away without anybody moving even a muscle, shout, complain or call the police). No, I don’t say it. I prefer Mika who is a guy who learnt how to speak quite well Italian in 3 weeks to present Stasera Casa Mika. He is gay (and we need a gay host on… Read more »
We don’t “need” a gay host. I would’ve preferred Carlo Conti as one of the hosts, either him or Milly Carlucci from Ballando con Le Stelle (Dancing with The Stars Italy)
Again. Are you Italian? Probably not. Do you know if Carlo Conti speaks english? Probably not. Do you know that Carlo Conti in an interview put himself out of a potential ESC hosting task for himself because he said the show had to be presented by young people in their thirty or forthy (portraying Cattelan) who are good in english? Do you know the equation would have been complicate to put on the same stage Milly Carlucci and Cattelan, because Cattelan was fearing to be shadowed by the personality of experience of Milly Carlucci? So RAI had to make a… Read more »
And you say you don’t need a gay host? Why? Just to tell after that the gay quota was not represented on the stage? We all know ESC has a huge gay fansbase so having Mika on stage gives something more to them to feel represented. Sincerely, I don’t understand you.
Io non sono venuto qui per litigare, ho solo voluto esprimere la mia opinione. E si, certo che sono italiano, non hai visto il mio cognome? Sono della Provincia di Bari. Per la Pausini e Cattelan, niente contro. Volevo solo dire che per me sarebbe bello vedere Carlo Conti a fare ospite a Eurovision, dato che lui faceva ospite di Sanremo più di una volta. Se non lo voleva fare, allora va bene, non fa niente. E anche se Eurovision ha una maggioranza di spettatori gay, non significa che uno degli ospiti debba essere gay. Eurovision è più di una… Read more »
Ma nemmeno io voglio litigare. Ma spiegami perché su 3 presentatori, 2 eterosessuali, il terzo non può essere gay? In Olanda erano in 4 e c’era Nikkie De Jaeger che è transessuale. Vorrei capire per quale motivo a noi italiani deve andare bene tutto tranne un presentatore apertamente gay. Fanno parte anche loro della società, se non sei d’accordo allora sei omofobo ed hai qualche problema di accettazione. E poi vuoi mettere degli interval acts con Pausini e Mika che duettano su canzoni storiche dell’Eurovision? Mah. A Tel Aviv erano 4 presentatori, dei quali uno gay, Assi Azar, che flirtava… Read more »
You take it way too seriously. Jan was not very creative but he meant it well. He said positive things, maybe you don’t like Pizza? In your example, he should have said the country of arms trade, Berlusconi and mafia. So let’s keep it nice, Saluti!