Portobello (TV program)

Portobello was an Italian Friday night variety show created and hosted by Enzo Tortora. It was broadcast on Rai 2 between 1977 and 1983 and again in 1987. A reboot hosted by Antonella Clerici was broadcast by Rai 1 in 2018.

Portobello
Created by	Enzo Tortora
Country of origin	Italy
Original language	Italian
No. of seasons	7
Original release
Network	Rai 2
Release	1977 (1977) – 1987 (1987)

Overview

The show debuted on Rai 2 on 27 May 1977.^[1] The structure of the show revolved around various segments, the most notable of them being the presentation of new inventions, with inventors promoting and selling their patents.^[2] Other segments included Cuori d'arancio, a dating segment where lonely hearts met in search of a soulmate that was an early forerunner of Canale 5 programs such as Agenzia matrimoniale and Uomini e donne, and Dove sei?, a segment about missing persons that anticipated the Rai 3 long-running show Chi l'ha visto?.^[2]

Portobello was a massive success, with an audience reaching 25 million viewers.^[2] It was suddendly interrupted because of the Tortora's conviction for drug trafficking and for being a member of the Camorra; following his full acquittal, it was reprised for a final season in 1987.^[2][3] In 2018, the show was remade in a retouched version hosted by Antonella Clerici; this version, broadcast on Saturday nights on Rai 1, was both a critical and audience failure.^[4][5]