What did Andrea Giambruno say? Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni breaks up with TV journalist over alleged sexist comments

Andrea Giambruno, the television journalist from Mediaset and partner of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has come under fire the past few weeks over his sexist comments in the workplace.

An off-air video posted by a different Mediaset satirical current affairs television program showed Giambruno using foul language, touching his groin, and appearing to make advances to a female colleague, as per The New York Post. He can be heard asking,

"Why didn’t I meet you before?"

In a different clip, Andrea Giambruno was heard talking to the female colleague, saying that they needed another member on the show.

“Let’s have a threesome, even a foursome,” he said.

Following the surfacing of the two off-air recordings, Georgia Meloni announced her split with Andrea Giambruno on her social media accounts on Friday, October 20, 2023.

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Prime Minister Georgia Meloni leaves Andrea Giambruno over his controversial comments

Over the past two weeks, videos have emerged of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's partner in Mediaset Network's shows where he is seen disrespecting female co-workers.

Andrea Giambruno works as the presenter of a news talkshow, Diario Del Giorno, broadcast by Mediaset, part of the MFE (MFEB.MI) media group. The company is owned by the heirs of the late Silvio Berlusconi, a former prime minister and one of Meloni's known allies, as per Reuters.

Two clips surfaced on the internet from a different Mediaset show that broadcasts satirical current affairs, which showed Andrea Giambruno laughing at the sets and complaining about criticisms of his hairstyle, as per The Guardian. He then goes on to ask a female employee rhetorically why they didn't meet sooner.

In a second clip, the face of the journalist is not shown, but he is heard telling a female employee that they could use another female participant and making s*xually suggestive comments.

Giorgia Meloni's split, which was announced on Friday, comes in the wake of the controversy.

"My relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which lasted almost ten years, ends here. I thank him for the wonderful years we spent together, for the difficulties we went through, and for giving me the most important thing in my life, which is our daughter Ginevra."

The pair have been together for almost ten years, ever since they met in a TV studio in 2014. They have a seven-year-old daughter, Ginevra.

"Our roads have long been divided, and it’s time to realize it. I will defend who we were, I will defend our friendship, and I will defend, at all costs, a seven-year-old who loves her mother and father, the way I could not love mine. Nothing more to say about this one," Meloni continues.

Meloni further shared with her opposition party and other politicians who are against her that she would not be distracted by difficulties in her private life. She said that "all those who hoped to weaken me by striking me at home" would have no success, as per The New York Post.

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Giorgia Meloni defends Andrea Giambruno

Back in August, Andrea received a lot of backlash after he expressed his views about the series of high-profile r*pe cases while on air at his broadcasting show. Reuters reported that he said that women should "avoid getting drunk" if they wanted to avoid being r*ped.

"If you go dancing you are fully entitled to get drunk ... but if you avoid getting drunk and losing consciousness, perhaps you’d also avoid getting into trouble, because then you’ll find the wolf," he had said.

Giorgia defended her then-partner, saying that the media outlets had misinterpreted Giambruno's words before talking about her mother. The far-right prime minister said that her mother had meant the same thing while raising her to "keep your eyes peeled and head screwed on," as per The Guardian.

According to the New York Post, Meloni told media outlets a month later that she should not be judged over Giambruno’s remarks. She added that she would refrain from answering questions about his behavior in the future.

Giambruno has not yet released any official statements on the matter.