Giusina Battaglia Returns to È Sempre Mezzogiorno Following Sudden Loss
Chef Giusina Battaglia returned to the Rai 1 cooking show It’s always noon on Friday, October 30, making her first public appearance since the sudden death of her husband, Sergio Colicchio, earlier that month. DiLei reported that the television personality stepped into the studio wearing a black outfit accented by a colored flower on her chest, greeting host Antonella Clerici and studio staff just eleven days after the network announced the family tragedy.
An Emotional Reunion on Rai 1
The broadcast opened with Antonella Clerici welcoming Battaglia back behind the scenes before bringing her to the center of the studio. Antonella Clerici welcomed the Sicilian chef back to the show, prompting Battaglia to describe her mindset as taking things un passo alla volta—one step at a time. Battaglia explained that she felt the need to return for her ten-year-old twin sons, Luca and Marco, stating that she must work and continue living for them to avoid sinking into depression. Clerici assured her colleague that her place at the cooking station remains open whenever she feels ready to return permanently.
The Partnership Behind Giusina in Cucina
Sergio Colicchio spent years working behind the scenes as a Mediaset cameraman before his professional life directly intersected with his wife’s culinary career. DiLei noted that the couple married in 2010 and welcomed their twin sons in 2016. In March 2020, during pandemic lockdown restrictions in Milan, Colicchio used two smartphones to film Battaglia cooking at home. Those family recordings launched Giusina in the kitchen, which premiered on Food Network on May 2, 2020, eventually leading to published books, television spin-offs, and her regular role on Clerici’s daytime program.
Public Support and Gratitude
During her studio appearance, Battaglia addressed the overwhelming volume of messages she received following her husband’s passing during the weekend prior to October 19. She expressed deep appreciation for the ongoing support from viewers and colleagues alike, noting that while she has been unable to reply to every message individually, she reads them all and feels the collective affection. No official return date has been scheduled for her regular cooking segments on the show.
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