It was the ultimate comfort watch. You know the vibe: a glass of dry white wine, the golden hour hitting a Tuscan hillside, and Stanley Tucci—dressed in a blazer that definitely costs more than your rent—moaning over a plate of rigatoni. When CNN abruptly pulled the plug on Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy back in late 2022, the collective internet basically went through the five stages of grief. People weren't just losing a food show; they were losing their favorite virtual travel companion.
But here is the thing.
If you’re still searching for "Season 3" of the original CNN show, you’re looking for a ghost. It doesn't exist. CNN's pivot away from original documentary programming meant the series was orphaned exactly when it was hitting its stride. However, as of early 2026, the story has changed. Tucci didn't just walk away from the table. He just moved to a different restaurant.
The Big Switch: It Is Not "Searching for Italy" Anymore
Most people are still typing the old title into their search bars, but the brand has officially shifted. After the CNN cancellation, National Geographic stepped in to save the day, but they didn't just buy the old name. They rebranded the whole experience as Tucci in Italy.
It’s basically the same DNA, but with a bit more of that Nat Geo "grit." Think less "glossy tourism ad" and more "deep dive into the dirt."
The first season of this new iteration premiered in May 2025, and honestly, it’s a relief. It covers regions the original show barely touched or ignored entirely, like Abruzzo and Trentino-Alto Adige. If you’ve been wondering why your DVR isn't picking up new episodes of Searching for Italy, this is why. You have to look for the new title on Disney+ and Hulu.
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Why the CNN Cancellation Actually Happened
It wasn't because of the ratings. Far from it. The show was an absolute juggernaut, winning back-to-back Emmys. The reality was much more boring and corporate: Warner Bros. Discovery (the parent company) decided to slash costs and stop hiring third-party production houses for CNN.
Tucci was caught in the crossfire.
He spent most of 2023 and 2024 shopping the concept around, eventually landing at National Geographic through a partnership with BBC Studios. It was a match made in heaven. Nat Geo wanted high-end travel; Tucci wanted to keep eating pasta. Everyone won.
What Really Happened in the New Episodes
The 2025 season (which many fans mistakenly call Season 3) took Tucci to some wild places. In Lazio, he avoided the typical tourist traps of Rome and focused on the rural outskirts, eating porchetta in Ariccia.
In Tuscany, he skipped the basic wine tours and went to Siena for the Palio—that insane, medieval horse race. He actually sat down at the communal contrada dinners where thousands of people sing and eat together in the streets.
- The Lombardy Surprise: He visited a three-Michelin-star restaurant in Milan that grows its own veggies, which sounds pretentious until you see him nearly cry over pesto risotto.
- The Abruzzo Connection: This was a highlight. He ate on a trabocco, which is a crazy-looking wooden fishing platform sticking out into the sea.
- The Pine Needle Pesto: In the snowy mountains of Trentino-Alto Adige, he tried pesto made from pine needles. Yes, really.
The tone is a bit more personal now. You can tell he’s not just "the host" anymore; he’s an executive producer with a specific point to prove about Italian identity. He even touched on social issues, like immigration and gay rights in Lombardy, which the old CNN show mostly glossed over in favor of slow-motion cheese shots.
The Secret to the Tucci Effect
Why do we care so much? It’s not just the food. It’s the "Tucci-isms." The way he says "Oh, look at that" or "Stop it" when a chef puts a plate down. It’s the fact that he actually speaks the language and treats the nonnas like rock stars.
There’s a nuance there that most travel hosts miss. He isn't trying to be Anthony Bourdain. He famously told The Hollywood Reporter that he wasn't as brave or adventurous as Tony. He’s just a guy who really, really likes a good meal and wants to understand the history behind it.
Is Season 2 of the New Show Coming?
Yes. National Geographic officially greenlit a second season of Tucci in Italy (or Season 4, if you're counting the whole saga) in June 2025.
Production moved fast. The plan for the upcoming episodes includes a first-time visit to Le Marche—a region most Americans can't find on a map—and return trips to Sicily and Sardinia to look at things they missed the first time around. If the schedule holds, we are looking at a late 2025 or early 2026 release for the next batch of episodes.
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How to Actually "Search for Italy" Yourself
If you’re watching the show and feeling that deep, soul-aching FOMO, you don't have to just sit there. You can actually visit these spots. Most of the restaurants Tucci visits aren't "TV sets"—they’re real places that have been there for generations.
- Armando al Pantheon (Rome): This is where he had the rigatoni all’amatriciana. You need to book weeks in advance. Seriously. Don't just show up.
- Osteria Cinghiale Bianco (Florence): This was his "homecoming" spot. It’s tucked away and serves the kind of ribollita that changes your life.
- Pizzeria La Notizia (Naples): If you want the pizza he made with Enzo Coccia, this is the holy grail.
One thing people get wrong: they think they need a car. You don't. Almost every major spot in the first two seasons is accessible by the Trenitalia rail network. You can take a train from Rome to Orvieto (where he had the pigeon dish) in about an hour.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you want to keep up with the Tucci-verse without getting lost in the "canceled" rumors, here is what you do.
- Update your streaming search: Stop searching for "Searching for Italy" on CNN. It’s dead. Set your alerts for Tucci in Italy on Disney+.
- Get the book: If you haven't read his memoir Taste: My Life Through Food, you’re missing the context for why he cares so much. He actually filmed the first show while recovering from oral cancer, which makes his obsession with flavor much more poignant.
- Follow the chefs, not just the host: Many of the chefs featured, like Massimo Bottura or Matilde Pettini, have their own social media and cookbooks that go much deeper than a 42-minute episode allows.
- Check out "Searching for Mexico": While you wait for new Italy episodes, remember that Tucci executive-produced a sister series starring Eva Longoria. It follows the same format and fills that void perfectly.
The search isn't over. It just changed networks. Italy is a big place, and as long as there’s a region Stanley hasn't been to, he’ll probably find a way to get there with a camera crew and a very nice scarf.