Yesterday, it was tentatively reported in QN Magazine that anthropomorphic mouse and children’s TV character Topo Gigio will be the country’s spokesperson in Basel, responsible for reading out who Italy’s jury gave their 12 points. According to the publication:
“In all likelihood, on the evening of 17 May, the tender rodent created by Maria Perego will be the spokesperson for the Italian jury during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. After the success achieved at Sanremo with Lucio Corsi , Gigio is also preparing to debut at the ESC, taking over the role of speaker held a year ago by Mario Acampa. […] There are those who would have liked him on stage with the singer-songwriter from Grosseto, […] However, the choice would have been a bit too daring and so here is the idea from the Italian broadcaster to bring Topo Gigio to Eurovision to represent Italy in an ‘official’ guise.”
The puppet, whose name literally translates to “Louis the Mouse”, was debuted in 1959, and has been a mainstay in Italian TV and print media ever since, appearing in feature films and two animated series, created in the 1980s and more recently in 2020. After appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show in the USA in 1963, Topo also gained a huge following in Latin America and former Yugoslavia. He’s been operated and voiced by actor Leo Valli since 2010.
The moment that brought Topo attention from Eurofans came at the 2025 Sanremo Festival, when he performed Domenico Modugno’s 1958 Sanremo/Eurovision hit Nel blu, dipinto di blu, aka Volare, alongside Lucio Corsi, who went on to come second overall and accept the offer to represent Italy at Eurovision after winner Olly pulled out.
If this report turns out to be the case, Topo would become the first ever non-human spokesperson in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, but not the first in the franchise. At Junior Eurovision 2004, the Spanish votes were read out by a puppet, coincidentally named Lucho, from the long-running TVE children’s show Los Lunnis.
Lucio Corsi will be hoping to keep up the incredibly strong record that Italy has had at Eurovision since their return in 2011, with his song Volevo essere un duro. In the last 14 contests, they’ve only finished outside the Top 10 on two occasions, taken four Top 3s and one victory, from Måneskin in 2021 with Zitti e buoni.
We’ll keep an eye on this one – remember to follow ESCBubble across social media for exclusive Eurovision news, reviews, interviews, polls and more!
