Amici 26 Opens New Season With 2.65 Million Viewers on Canale 5
Twelve aspiring singers and ten aspiring dancers crossed the threshold of the Amici 26 school on Sunday, October 11, kicking off a heavily revamped twenty-sixth season on Canale 5. Hosted by Maria De Filippi and broadcast at 14:00 local time (12:00 UTC), the debut episode drew 2,650,000 viewers with a 22.6% share, according to broadcast figures. The premiere introduced major changes to the talent show format, transforming traditional professors into artistic directors and integrating combat sports directly into the roster alongside music and dance.
While the initial broadcast secured initial jersey allocations for 22 hopefuls, the format introduces a crucial catch. Obtaining a jersey after an initial performance does not automatically guarantee a permanent desk in the school. The artistic directors evaluate candidates through subsequent meetings, meaning every provisional admission remains subject to formal confirmation.
New Artistic Directors Shape Singing and Dancing Squads
The faculty lineup underwent a significant overhaul for this edition, featuring six artistic directors who split supervisory duties across the music and dance categories. In the singing department, Rudy Zerbi selected Shari—who previously performed among the Big artists at the Sanremo Music Festival alongside Amadeus—alongside the duo Jed, featuring Simone Golfarini and Edoardo Mencagli. Samurai Jay took on Andrea Heros, Aura, and Ernesto Esposito (known as Erness), while Amadeus recruited Kashmere, Nicolò Bassani, Saitta, and Tiaso.
On the dance side, fewer desks were made available. Alessandra Celentano brought in Latin dancer Anna Messina and classical specialist Benedetta Giuliano. Lorella Cuccarini returned to dance instruction, taking Anna Abbagnale and Riccardo Frison under her wing. Ambra Angiolini matched Amadeus’s tally by acquiring four dancers: Charli, Clara Maria Rocco, Lollo, and Napo. Among the initial pool, vocalists Manuel Meledina and Daniel Posniak alongside dancers Manolo Borelli and Celeste Moroni left without benches, while Paulo Valvano entered the season with his coaching assignment still undecided.
Combat Athletes Enter the Roster Under Weekly Challenge Rules
Season 26 expands beyond the traditional performing arts by introducing a dedicated sports category, featuring boxing, judo, and an upcoming skater whose identity remains unannounced. Unlike the singers and dancers, the initial athletes secured their places directly, though their retention depends entirely on weekly defenses.
Twenty-two-year-old boxer Gabriele Guidi Rontani, who has trained with gloves since age eight, received his jersey from national boxing technical director Giovanni De Carolis, supported by his family and girlfriend Sara. Twenty-year-old judoka India Serafini from Pomezia earned her bench from Olympic champion Alice Bellandi. Serafini, who balances medical studies with her athletic career, quickly validated her placement by defeating an external challenger named Linda in a brief ground exchange during the broadcast. Under the rules of the category, both athletes must defend their desks every week against outside contenders evaluated by discipline experts, with survivors advancing to a final stage for a dedicated prize.
Roster Status Following the October 11 Premiere
The opening broadcast established provisional selections across the core categories, though subsequent verification meetings dictate final enrollment. The initial distribution reflects evaluations recorded during the Canale 5 premiere.
- Casting Categories: Twelve vocalists and ten dancers advanced past the initial performance stage.
- Conditional Benches: Aspirants including Kashmere, Napo, Anna Messina, and Shari hold provisional jerseys pending formal artistic director confirmation.
- Direct Sport Assignment: Boxer Gabriele Guidi Rontani and judoka India Serafini secured immediate desks tied to mandatory weekly defense matches.
- Early Departures: I ballerini Manolo Borelli e Celeste Moroni e i cantanti Manuel Meledina e Daniel Posniak restano fuori dalla scuola, già da questa fase.
Upcoming Schedule and Verification Milestones
The school’s administrative process continues as the artistic directors conduct individual evaluations with the 22 provisional selectees to finalize the official student roster. Meanwhile, the newly integrated athletes prepare for their recurring weekly challenges against external specialists in boxing and judo, administered within the Elios studios under the oversight of expert panels.
