Marcelo Tinelli

Marcelo Tinelli

Marcelo Hugo Tinelli (born April 1, 1960, in Bolívar, Buenos Aires Province), is an Argentine TV host, media producer and businessman, best known as the host of the TV show ShowMatch broadcast on Argentina's El Trece. He is one of the most iconic figures in Argentina's television.

Tinelli was working on Radio Rivadavia as football sportscaster before Juan Alberto Badía brought him to TV to Badía y Compañía. In 1990, after several years as sports commentator, he created the light-content Videomatch, based on sport results, easy jokes, hidden cameras and bloopers. Around 1996 the program left the lightest contents and included musical shows and guests. In 1999 he received the Golden Martín Fierro Award for Videomatch. The show is still aired, but under the name of Showmatch.

He created the TV production company Ideas del Sur (Ideas from the South), which has produced many TV shows including Okupas, Buenos Vecinos, Tumberos, Fugitivos and Los Roldán. He also bought Radio Uno FM station, and the Spanish Segunda División football club CD Badajoz. In 2002, he helped found the volleyball team Club Ciudad de Bolívar, based in his native San Carlos de Bolívar. The team came to be the most successful of the Argentine league.

He has two daughters with ex-wife María Soledad Aquino (married May 1986 to March 1993), and a son and a daughter with his second wife Paula Robles (married November 1997). He is divorced now.