Italy's Berlusconi returns to fray to sink PM Renzi's referendum

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi gestures as he makes his speech during a presentation of Rome's mayoral candidate Alfio Marchini (not seen) in Rome, Italy May 10, 2016 REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

ROME (Reuters) - Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi, who left Italy's political limelight after heart surgery, has returned to the fray this week trying to defeat Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's planned constitutional reform.

In his first television interview since June, the 80-year-old media tycoon told his own Canale 5 channel on Tuesday evening the reform was "dangerous" and had to be blocked to prevent Renzi becoming "the master of Italy and the Italians."