Eleni Menegaki
| Eleni Menegaki Ελένη Μενεγάκη | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 29, 1969 Athens, Greece |
| Occupation | Actress, TV Host |
| Years active | 1991-present |
| Spouse(s) |
Giannis Latsios (2001-2010) Mateo Pantzopoulos (2010-) |
| Children | 4 |
Eleni Menegaki (Greek: Ελένη Μενεγάκη) was born on October 29, 1969 is a Greek film, television and stage actress and talk show presenter. In 2010, Forbes ranked Menegaki as the second-most powerful and influential celebrity in Greece and top-ranked female.[1]
Career
First steps in MEGA Channel
Eleni Menegaki started her career as a model. In 1991, she participated in the MEGA Channel morning show "Proino Cocktail." A year later, she and Giorgos Polichroniou hosted the highly successful game show "MEGA Banca."
ANT1 Channel, "Pater Imon" and "Proinos Kafes"
In 1994, she starred in the successful ANT1 channel comedy TV show "Pater Imon" portraying a radio producer. The next year, she began hosting the ANT1 channel morning show "Proinos Kafes." She continued hosting the show for 10 years with great success and soon the media named her "Queen of the morning zone."
ALPHA Channel and "Kafes me tin Eleni"
In 2005, she left ANT1 channel and signed to Alpha Channel. She became the hostess of the morning show "Kafes me tin Eleni." Despite low ratings in the first season, it soon became a great success, especially in the commercial target group 15-44 years of age. In its last season (2010-2011), "Kafes me tin Eleni" suffered the lowest ratings ever.
ALPHA Channel and "Eleni"
In 2011, Menegaki's show changed its time starting at 13:00 and aired under the new title "Eleni." It remains the most successful show in its time slot.
Personal life
In 2001, Eleni Menegaki married ANT1 program manager Giannis Latsios. They had three children. Aggelos - Ioannis was born in 2002, Laoura was born in 2005 and Valeria was born in 2008. In January 29, 2010, Eleni announced her divorce from Latsios. A few months later, Eleni's new relationship with businessman Mateo Pantzopoulos became known to media. She announced her fourth pregnancy, expecting a child by Mateo, and on March 29, 2015, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The name was not revealed.
Public image and impact
With the success of her shows, Menegaki became the most successful celebrity in Greece. She is followed by paparazzi and makes headlines everywhere. Her divorce from Giannis Latsios became a controversial and highly discussed topic. She is considered a role model by many Greek women. According to rumors in blogs, tabloids and newspapers, she is the highest-paid person in Greek TV. Thema newspaper once stated that she earns 100.000 euro per month.