MArina Donato, prominent figure of Italian television and widow of the legendary conductor Corrado Mantoni, He disappeared on the night between Wednesday and Thursday 30 July, at the age of 76. The producer, known for giving birth to iconic programs such as The bullfight, lunch is served And Forumwent to the Policlinico Umberto I in Rome after a sudden illness that hit her while dinner in a restaurant in the capital.
Who was Marina Donato, a career behind the scenes of Italian TV
Born in Rome on July 4, 1949, Marina Donato left an indelible imprint in the panorama of Italian entertainment. At just 24 he began to collaborate with Corrado, Then already an established name of television, giving way to a professional partnership that soon turned into a long life story. Their union, culminating in marriage in 1996 after 23 years of coexistence, was celebrated with a reserved ceremony, far from the spotlight, just as Corrado loved.
Marina Donato’s career was marked by successes that made the history of television. As an executive producer, he contributed to cult programs such as Lunch is served On Canale 5, which between 1982 and 1992 has scored over 2,000 episodes, and The bullfightof which he was also co -author for ten editions. Has worked on transmissions like Happy Sunday with Corrado and Maurizio Costanzo, Pitches & spring with Paolo Bonolis e The test of the cook On Rai1. In 2005, together with Massimiliano Lancellotti, he founded the Corìma production company, which signed successful shows such as the return of Portobello with Antonella Clerici in 2018 and the 2024 edition of La Corrida conducted by Amadeus on nine.
In one of his latest interviews, speaking to Corriere della Sera, The manufacturer had said that Corrrado “feared that no one would remember him anymore. I told him it wasn’t true. I won that bet, and I know he saw him from the afterlife ».
The last farewell and the condolence of the world of entertainment
Fatal illness, a suspected cardiac arrest, took place in a Roman restaurant. Despite the hospital race, the resuscitation attempts have been in vain. The funeral will be held on Saturday 2 August at 10.30 in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and Martiri, in Piazza della Repubblica in Rome. The manager Lucio Presta wrote a moving memory on X: «Last night he passed away Marina Donato, a friend for 40 years and that tomorrow I would have seen why he came to find the donkeys he had given me. Leave a deep emptiness in those who met you. A Calabrian DOC and an extraordinary woman. Greet Corrado on my part ».
Marina Donato, a legacy that lives in programs
Until the last, Marina Donato remained active, working with passion for the edition of The bullfight conducted by Amadeus, who had said in an interview: “It was an old promise that we had made ourselves with Marina, he asked me if I would have liked to lead her». The manufacturer was already ready for the new season of the show, expected for autumn 2025. Its ability to create programs capable of combining generations, such as those that have marked the golden age of Italian TV, remains a precious legacy.