Gianni Morandi paid tribute to the late television host Pippo Baudo at the funeral chapel in Rome’s Teatro delle Vittorie, reciting the Ave Maria in homage. Reflecting on their bond, Morandi expressed profound gratitude for Baudo’s support during a personal crisis in the early 1980s when the singer felt he had “disappeared from the scene.”
“I only have words of affection for Pippo, who helped me in moments of difficulty,” Morandi stated, recalling how Baudo invited him to appear on the popular show “Fantastico” amid a prolonged career slump. Years later, Morandi acknowledged the gesture, telling Baudo: “No one called me anymore—and you did.” The host characteristically replied, “You deserved it,” echoing his famed catchphrase style.
“Today I mourn a friend,” Morandi concluded, “because we stayed in touch and cherished each other.”