Paolo Rosetti was Marian Rosetti's husband and father of Francesca and Nicolo Rosetti.
Paolo, Marian, Francesca and Nicolo arrived in Beckindale in June 1987 to visit Marian's father Henry Wilks. Paolo was a rude man who insulted Jack Sugden and Matt Skilbeck for being slow at moving their sheep, and refused to allow Francesca to hug him. Henry rented a house for the month for the Rosetti's to stay in, basically the only thing that impressed Paolo. After meeting Henry, Paolo commented to Marian in private that he thought The Woolpack looked a bit shabby. As a result, Marian gave him the cold shoulder.
Francesca tried to get Paolo's attention by hiding things in Nicolo's cot. First, she hid a dead bird, horrifying Marian. When Francesca hid Paolo's gun, Marian was absolutely petrified and forced Paolo to talk to her. However, Paolo told her that with children, you couldn't talk, only serve punishments.
Paolo suffered an accident at the hands of Eric Pollard. Eric had tried to sell Paolo some antiques but Paolo refused. He also humiliated Eric. So in an act of revenge, Eric was robbing his house during the night, and he accidentally dropped one of Paolo's expensive books on the piano, which woke Paolo up. Paolo, not knowing the robber was Eric, chased him into the night through the garden and into some trees but accidentally shot himself, and he was found the following morning and rushed to hospital, and the injury left him wheelchair bound. Eric was suspected by the police due to being rejected over a business deal by Paolo, but was never convicted for what he did to Paolo, so walked free. Marian found it hard to look after a disabled Paolo.
On New Years Day 1991, Paolo was found dead having taken an overdose. The Polizia di Stato believed his death was suspicious; that Marian had killed Paolo as Paolo had discovered that she had been having an affair and wanted a divorce, with Marian risking too much to loose. However, they had no evidence to prove she committed the crime and Paolo's killer was subsequently never caught.