He returned to New York and in 1946 started work at the radio headquarters of Il Progresso Italo-Americano ("The Italian American Progress") newspaper.

Then he hosted the quiz programs Caccia al numero ('Number Hunt', 1962), La Fiera dei Sogni ('Dream Fair', 1962–1965) and Giochi in Famiglia ('Games in Family', 1966–1969).

Bongiorno moved to Tele Milano (now Canale 5), one of the first Italian commercial TV channels owned by Mediaset, the media company founded by Silvio Berlusconi, to host I sogni nel cassetto ('The dreams in the drawer', 1979–1980).

After a brief return to RAI with the news-game Flash (1980–1982), he continued working for Mediaset quiz programmes Bis (Concentration) (1981–1990), Superflash (1982–1985), Pentatlon (1985–1987), Telemike (1987–1992), Tris (1990–1991), the math game Tutti per uno (Family Feud, 1992) and from 1989 to 2003 La ruota della fortuna (Wheel of Fortune).

From 1991 to 2001, Bongiorno hosted Bravo, Bravissimo, a festival featuring preteen musicians, dancers and singers from all over the world.

On September 8, 2009, at the age of 85, Bongiorno died of a heart attack, while leaving the Hotel Metropole, Monte Carlo, after a short holiday with his wife Daniela Zuccoli.

Many Italian TV stars such as Rosario Fiorello, Pippo Baudo, Fabio Fazio, Sandra Mondaini, Alba Parietti, Paola Barale, Carlo Conti, Gerry Scotti, Marco Columbro and several other entertainers attended the service which was held by Bishop Erminio De Scalzi.

[4] In the autumn of 2007, Bongiorno received an honorary degree in Television, Film and Multimedia production from the IULM University of Milan.