At 63 years old, Alessandra Mussolini no longer has any suits left to wear. Or what to take off. She has been an actress, model Playboysinger in Japan, far-right European parliamentarian and, as of last night, the brand new winner of the eighth edition of Big Brother VIPhe VIP Big Brother Italian. In her country, politics and so many other things (she is even a doctor) she is a well-known face on television, a regular on social gatherings and in competitions, but if she is in the news outside the Italian borders it is because her surname does not deceive: we are talking about the granddaughter of the dictator Benito Mussolini.
The family has gone from fascism to fame in a century… although there are those who believe that the ideas defended in the institutions by the descendant of The Duce They look quite similar. He has always defended his grandfather’s “misunderstood” legacy, but he was not convincing. Now he has done it, by putting Canale 5’s television audience in his pocket.
Mussolini was crowned the winner last night in a tense final gala hosted by Ilary Blasi, after sweeping the decisive televote with 55.95% of the votes against her arch-nemesis in the contest, the actress and television collaborator Antonella Elia, who had to settle for the silver medal. The dancer Raimondo Todaro completed the podium in a night full of reproaches, tears and, above all, a lot of spectacle, the newspaper reports The Messenger.
“This has been an experience destined to remain in my heart,” declared an elated Alessandra Mussolini as soon as she was declared the winner, visibly moved after turning off the lights of the house, which was installed in the legendary Roman studios of Cinecittà. “It’s an adventure that I will always carry with me,” she said through tears.
A heart attack ‘cache’ and the weight of the surname
Mussolini’s victory is not just a festive triumph; It is also a round business. To the juicy final prize of 100,000 euros that the chain gives, is added the controversial and astronomical cache that, according to leaks from the Italian media such as Il Fatto Quotidianowould have received for his participation: about 550,000 euros. In this way, she consolidates herself as the highest paid – and most amortized – contestant of the season in Italy.
The former European parliamentarian’s time at the most famous house in the country has not been without controversy. His presence unleashed fierce criticism and confrontations that have kept the country in suspense, inside and outside the house. In fact, his rival in the final, Elia, did not hide his indignation when he saw how Mussolini was surpassing nominations weeks ago: “But what do you see in Alessandra? Do you find it funny? Living with her is like living in a nightmare, this is the house of horrors. Alessandra is a danger,” he said. Each crash has thousands of references on social networks, especially on X.
For her part, the dictator’s granddaughter, far from being discouraged, came to confess the hostility she felt in their coexistence: “Her tone drives me crazy. If she hadn’t been in here, I would have taken the plate of spaghetti with broth, I would have gone looking for her and dumped it on her head.” Popcorn meat and high audiences: the current edition on Canale 5 has registered an average audience of between 1.8 and three million viewers per program, with an average screen share of around 17% and peaks that on some nights, according to network data, have reached 23-24%. Just last night, without going any further.
However, between sets, there was also room for “vulnerability”, as the aforementioned newspaper calls it. Mussolini openly acknowledged having “suffered greatly from the weight of his surname” throughout his life, taking refuge in confidences about his children, his husband Mauro Floriani (a high-ranking official in the Italian railway network who was investigated for prostitution of minors) and his mother, Maria Scicolone (who is the younger sister of Sophia Loren, which also makes her the niece of the nation’s greatest actress).
A united clan
Despite the initial skepticism surrounding his entry into the contest last March, his family has ended up surrendering to the television phenomenon. During the final, his sister Elisabetta entered the garden of the house to surprise him and make the clan’s position clear: “We have come solely for you. Mom has not seen the biggest fights. At first we were very skeptical about you coming in, but you were right. I have seen you sparkling.”
With this victory, the former leader of the neo-fascist party Alternative Sociale and later ally of Silvio Berlusconi in Forza Italia demonstrates that the Mussolini surname continues to mobilize the masses in Italy… although this time it was through SMS, reality television debates and at the hands of the Mediaset empire. It remains to be seen if this mass bath will return it to the front line of politics or if, on the contrary, television has gained a star forever.
