Gerry Scotti and co-host samira Lui continued their run with the popular quiz show La Ruota della Fortuna on Canale 5 Sunday night, balancing high-stakes gameplay with a touching tribute to a long-serving Mediaset employee. The January 25th episode saw contestants vying for substantial cash prizes, including a cruise, while Scotti paused to recognize Matteo del bar, marking his retirement after four decades with the network. The evening blended the program’s signature entertainment with a moment of thankfulness for behind-the-scenes dedication.
Gerry Scotti Pays Special Tribute to Longtime Mediaset Employee on January 25th Episode
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The studio lights came up on a new episode of La Ruota della Fortuna, the hugely popular quiz show currently dominating Canale 5’s early evening lineup. On the January 25, 2026, installment, Gerry Scotti geared up for his usual Sunday marathon, knowing he’d be back on air in primetime with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire soon after. “You can feel it picking up – it’s Sunday, a big night, first the wheel and then Millionaire,” Scotti said, kicking things off. “Happy Sunday to you all, and thank you for choosing us.”
What Happened on La Ruota della Fortuna on January 25, 2026
After introducing co-host Samira Lui, who looked chic in a total black dress with silver accents, Scotti took a moment to honor a special retirement. “We’re talking about Matteo del Bar, one of Mediaset’s longest-serving employees, who is retiring after 40 years of service.” The studio audience welcomed the retiree, who Scotti personally acknowledged: “You know, I started doing Deejay Television, Il Gioco dei Nove, and Matteo was already working at the bar back then. Forty years of dedicated service, and we hope to see you around!” The show then moved on to introduce the three contestants: returning champion Jennifer from Cassino (this time with her sister instead of her boyfriend), aspiring teacher Leandro from Bari, and doctor Manuela from Mascalucia.
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The game began with a close competition, but in the middle of the show, Manuela took the lead, climbing to the top of the leaderboard with over €24,000 in winnings thanks to some sharp intuition and lucky spins in the round featuring the Sphynx cat. “My grandmother’s neighbors had one,” Samira revealed. But she quickly added, “I don’t mean to offend anyone, but I don’t like them, they kept me far away.” And Scotti, never missing a beat, playfully teased his co-host: “Then let’s get Samira a beautiful Sphynx!” The three-way battle concluded with Manuela’s victory, earning her access to the Wheel of Wonders with a starting prize of €32,900. “That’s a number to get excited about,” observed Gerry Scotti, reminding her that the champion had also won an MSC cruise. “It feels like a dream,” admitted the new champion.
The game resumed, and Manuela missed the first two boards with the theme ‘Bench.’ “I need to calm down,” confessed the contestant, who fortunately answered the third question correctly and earned one of the three envelopes up for grabs. Gerry first revealed the contents of the two losing envelopes: €5,000 and €10,000. Then, he unveiled the contents of the champion’s green envelope, which, with another stroke of luck, added another €20,000 to her previous winnings, for a total of €52,900.
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