Isabelle Ithurburu

About Isabelle Ithurburu

Born on February 24, 1983, Isabelle Ithurburu is a French figure in sports journalism and television hosting. Her early life unfolded in Pau, within the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region, where her father managed a grocery store and held Basque heritage. Her journey into the public eye began with a stint in a beauty pageant, where she was crowned Miss Pau-Béarn in 2001. Later, in 2005, she took part in the fifth installment of Nouvelle Star. While she reached the top fifteen contestants performing live, her run concluded in the initial prime at Baltard after her rendition of Superbus's "Butterfly." Following her academic pursuits in international trade, Ithurburu joined the Canal+ Group's Infosport+ in 2009. There, she became a familiar face hosting a variety of sports programs, including Sports Dimanche, L'Édition du Soir, and La Matinale Sports. Her role expanded during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, where she hosted Jour de Coupe du monde each weekend on Canal+. In February 2012, following Darren Tulett's departure, she stepped in to host Samedi Sport on Canal+ while maintaining her work on Des décodeurs for Infosport+. For the 2012-13 season, Ithurburu transitioned from Samedi Sport, being succeeded by Nathalie Iannetta, and took on the hosting of Jour de rugby. Her broadcasting portfolio also includes coverage of the Wimbledon Championships and a documentary series titled Grand Format on Canal+ Sport. In 2010, Ithurburu married Gonzalo Quesada, an Argentinian rugby player who later moved into coaching. Their meeting occurred when he played for the Section Paloise, the rugby club in her hometown of Pau. The couple separated in 2015. In 2018, she welcomed a daughter named Mia with her partner, Maxim Nucci, also known as Yodelice.