On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, television programming across Italy underwent significant changes following the death of Pope Francis the previous day. As a mark of respect, the Rai network and other major broadcasters adjusted their schedules to dedicate airtime to the Pope’s legacy, suspending regular programming and advertising.
The day began early on Rai 1, with a special edition of Tg1 starting at 6:30 AM, followed by the 8:00 edition of Tg1 and Unomattina at 8:35 AM. The programming continued with Storie italiane at 11:00 AM, leading into the lunchtime news with Tg1 at 1:30 PM, and a special edition at 2:00 PM. At 4:00 PM, the program A Sua Immagine aired, hosting discussions and reflections on the Pope's life and contributions.
Later in the day, La vita in diretta took over at 5:05 PM, providing a platform for further tributes and news related to the Pope's passing. The evening news segment, Tg1, was scheduled at 7:56 PM, and a special edition of Porta a Porta dedicated to Pope Francis was set to air at 8:30 PM. Following this, the fiction series Fuochi d’artificio was confirmed for 9:30 PM, while the film Correre per ricominciare was slated for 11:30 PM. A late-night segment, Testimoni e protagonisti, was scheduled to air at 1:00 AM, followed by a continuous news update from RaiNews 24.
Rai 2's programming also reflected the day’s somber tone. The network began its schedule with the film Giacobbe at 6:30 AM, followed by various news segments, including Tg2 at 8:30 AM and Tg 2 Italia Europa at 8:45 AM. The film San Paolo aired at 11:10 AM, with further news coverage at 1:00 PM and a special segment, Tg2 Speciale, at 5:00 PM. The police procedural series Blue Bloods followed at 7:00 PM, leading into the evening news at 8:00 PM and Tg2 Post at 9:00 PM. Notably, the first episode of Belve, hosted by Francesca Fagnani, was canceled and replaced with the film 18 regali at 9:30 PM, followed by Bar Giuseppe at 11:00 PM.
On Rai 3, the day started with Agorà at 8:00 AM, followed by Restart at 10:00 AM. The network aired a special edition of Tg3 at 11:20 AM and various cultural programs throughout the day, including the documentary Francesco venuto quasi dalla fine del mondo at 3:25 PM. A special edition of Tg3 aired at 4:15 PM, with Geo following at 5:00 PM. The evening continued with another news segment at 7:00 PM, and at 8:20 PM, the talk show Il Cavallo e la torre aired, replacing the usual slot for Un posto al sole, which was also suspended. The prime-time feature was the film Mission at 9:20 PM, concluding with Linea Notte at 11:30 PM.
In stark contrast, Mediaset's channels maintained a more traditional schedule on April 22, 2025, with no significant changes announced. Canale 5 continued with the series Tutto quello che ho featuring Vanessa Incontrada, while Italia 1 aired a new episode of Le Iene. Rete 4 confirmed its programming with È sempre cartabianca. Afternoon shows on Mediaset, including Beautiful and Uomini e Donne, remained unchanged, although it was expected that all news segments across channels would focus heavily on the Pope.
As the nation mourned, the adjustments to the TV schedules highlighted the profound impact of Pope Francis's passing on Italian society. His leadership and influence reached beyond the religious sphere, resonating with millions, and the media's response reflected the collective grief felt across the country.
In the realm of entertainment, the game show Affari Tuoi, hosted by Stefano De Martino, was also affected. With an average viewership of around 6 million per evening and a share between 27% and 30%, it was notable that the show was suspended on both April 21 and 22. Instead, a special episode of Porta a Porta dedicated to the Pope replaced the usual programming.
Despite the somber atmosphere, the Rai network planned to reward the team behind Affari Tuoi with a special episode featuring VIP guests on May 2, 2025, recognizing the show's success during a challenging time.
Overall, the programming changes across Rai and Mediaset on April 22, 2025, served as a poignant reminder of the Pope’s influence and the way his life and death impacted not only the Catholic community but the broader Italian culture. The reverberations of his passing were felt deeply, prompting networks to adapt their content to honor his memory and legacy.
