Anecdotes

With his second wife Flaminia Morandi he had a daughter, Camilla Costanzo (born in 1973), and a son, Saverio Costanzo.

From 1983 to 1986 he lived with Simona Izzo, never married but considered by him as a wife.

He is one of Italy's best known journalists.

Since 2004 he and his current wife Maria De Filippi are the adoptive parents of Gabriele (born in 1992).

Costanzo began his career as a journalist, first as a contributing writer to Paese Sera and then as managing editor of the weekly Grazia.

Costanzo also wrote the screenplays for several films. In 1977 he wrote and directed his first and to these days last film, Melodrammore.

Since 2011 he also collaborated with Radio Manà Manà.

His most popular show, Bontà loro was a staple of RAI's programming but he was forced to resign after news broke that he was a member of the Propaganda 2 masonic lodge. Costanzo then moved to Silvio Berlusconi's main TV station Canale 5, where he hosted The Maurizio Costanzo Show.

Parallel to his career as a journalist, he worked as a radio and TV host, where he became known for his subtle, low-profile irony.

On 14 May 1993, Costanzo, who had expressed delight at the arrest of Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore Riina, was almost killed by a bomb as he drove down a Rome street; 23 people were injured.

Costanzo was artistic director of Canale 5 until 2009. In 2010 he returned to RAI, presenting the talk show Bontà sua.

In the late 1970s, he was the founding editor of the newspaper L'Occhio.

In 1966 he co-wrote the lyrics of the song "Se telefonando", which was popularized by Mina.

Costanzo was the "communication-agent" (an aesthetical and rhetorical consultant for public appearances) of many Italian political leaders.

He was a professor at the Università degli Studi Niccolò Cusano.