The former winner in 2004 is now the face of ‘Data Room’ on Sky: “In the house, I broke the rules to ask a cameraman if we had been saved: all hell broke loose, but I was spared.”

From the house par excellence, that of Big Brother, to the home of sport, Sky, but always with Genoa in her heart. Serena Garitta was the winner of Italy’s most famous reality show and is now the face of Data Room, a successful format focused on numbers. Football has always been a passion, cultivated since childhood and passed on to her son Renzo, and she has managed to turn it into a job.

Serena, 21 years ago you emerged victorious from the house: how did you get there and what was the experience like?

“I was 25 and a TV legend. The previous summer I had auditioned for ‘Amici’, I passed several selections but didn’t make it to the end, so I tried again with Big Brother. It was a game, like buying a lottery ticket. Television attracted me, but it seemed far away. I was a child of the 80s, studying political science and working in a gym. I remember seeing the superimposed text and leaving a message on the answering machine telling them all about how my boyfriend at the time had cheated on me and how I had discovered his betrayals… Evidently, that tragicomic story made the writers laugh a lot, and they took me on. I was much younger than a 25-year-old today, and at that stage in my life, it was a wonderful experience that I approached in the right way, with naivety. I felt like Alice in Wonderland. For me, just getting in was already a victory, then at a certain point I realized I could win. It completely changed my path and gave me the confidence and self-esteem I lacked to try to do this job. I thought I wasn’t good enough, but since then I’ve stayed on TV. With the money I won, I bought a house in Rome, which I then sold when I decided to return to Genoa to be closer to my son.”

Is it true that you risked being kicked out for supporting Genoa, your favorite team?

“Yes, I was spared, but you can’t control fans. I had brought a cap and shirt with me, then they gave me another shirt with all the signatures. However, in the house, we weren’t allowed to have any contact with the outside world. One day, when there were only three finalists left, I was washing the dishes and I could hear the cameramen nearby. At one point, I couldn’t resist: I asked if they could tell me whether Genoa had been saved. No one answered me, I just heard a ‘you’re great,’ but all hell broke loose. Fortunately, there were no social media in those days and nothing came out, but they called me in and gave me a good telling-off.

Big Brother is a showcase, but then you need something else to carve out a permanent place for yourself on TV. How did you do it?

“Many disappear, but many remain. The secret is to understand the niche you can fit into. The final of that edition was watched by 8 million viewers, giving me immense popularity that I was able to exploit. When I left the house, I was interviewed about everything. At a certain point, I picked up a microphone and started asking the questions myself. Mario Giordano offered me ‘Lucignolo’. I was a correspondent, and I’ve never stopped since. I’ve also done it for other programs. I leveraged my empathy with people; the audience identified with me and my romantic misfortunes, which is why I won. I wasn’t the hottest girl in the house, but I inspired sympathy and tenderness, characteristics that I put to good use later on. I also had a small part in the series ‘Blanca’: I only had a couple of lines, I was the cleaning lady: the scene was shot at 6 a.m., no makeup and shabby clothes, but it was a lot of fun.“

How did you get to ‘Data Room’ and what does the format consist of?

”Ten years ago, I launched a project in Genoa, which has been on Sky for three years. When they offered me ‘Data Room’, I immediately said yes. I’m not a journalist, but I lend my face to a data lab that turns numbers into stories. We start with the figures to talk about soccer and other sports. It’s a program that comes in different formats, from snippets during matches to in-depth analysis with experts, including Pampa Sosa, Fabrizio Ravanelli, Antonio Candreva, and Christian Panucci, among others. My editorial team is fundamental, but in my own small way, I know football. I’ve experienced it as a fan and have always watched football programs. I’m not an expert, but I know what I’m talking about, even if I have to prepare myself. Last year, I only did the cup games, partly so I could spend the weekend with my son, who is nine and plays as a striker. Now I’m involved at the weekend too, but I do everything I can to go and see him play. This summer, he took part in a camp with Genoa and his idol is Yamal: I’d like to take him to see Barcelona and a national team game.”

Doesn’t your son ask you to meet the players?

“Actually, he does worse: every now and then he looks at my social media, sees the hearts that someone he knows sends me and says, ‘Mom, can’t you date a soccer player?’. And I reply, ‘Honey, I’m too old for that…’”.

But some soccer players must have tried during your time on Big Brother…

“Some did, but I was embarrassed because I didn’t see myself as a showgirl. I was very intimidated, it seemed too much for me, so I always declined. I didn’t feel up to it. My current partner, Pietro Pisano, works in communications in the world of soccer.”

What is your fondest memory of Genoa?

“Bagnoli qualifying for the UEFA Cup. I remember writing the line-up in my diary. As a teenager, I was in love with Gennaro Ruotolo. Now when I see him, we laugh about it. At Genoa today, I like Norton-Cuffy: he has incredible physical power. I’d like Nico Paz on my team; he impressed me. We’re not in a good moment, but we have the team to save us: the coach has faith in me.”