What personal secrets were hidden by the most arrogant TV journalist Urmas Ott

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Without exaggeration, he can be called the most closed TV journalist. He became famous thanks to the program "Television acquaintance", where he interviewed the most famous people, not hesitating to ask them uncomfortable questions. But from his own life, Urmas Ott made a secret and was in no hurry to reveal himself to even the closest people. And when he had trouble, he preferred to live it alone.

The boy who knew how to dream

He was born in April 1955 in the small Estonian town of Otepää. The neighbors called Urmas Ott's mother Mrs. Ellen and said that she was a very proud woman and a wonderful hostess. She herself raised her son and daughter, but at the same time behaved like a real lady. Childhood friends of Urmas Ott say that he was like a mother in character: independent, proud and free.

In elementary school, he was an exemplary student, dreamed of joining the pioneers and participated in all activities. But in adolescence, his character began to manifest. He became interested in the work of The Beatles and almost dropped out of school. It was forbidden to go to school in jeans, but Urmas Ott was not going to wear a uniform. Students were not allowed to wear long hair, but who could force Urmas to cut his hair if he didn't want to? He stood out from the crowd and received undisguised pleasure from it.

And he also dreamed and knew for sure: his dreams will definitely come true, he will rise to the very top, where fame and success will await him. He played in the folk theater, studied at the institute, received a diploma as an organizer of cultural and educational work and director of amateur theaters, at the same time graduated from courses on television, was drafted into military service, and in the army he first sang in a choir, and then became a presenter of concerts.

And a star with a star says …

Returning from the army, Urmas Ott went straight to television. Then he already understood what he really wanted to do all his life, and immediately began to implement his plans. He became the presenter of Estonian television, hosted the programs "Actual Camera" and "Alphabet of Variety", and then the author's "Television Acquaintance" appeared, which glorified the presenter.

At first, the program was broadcast only in Estonia, after it was transferred to Central Television. Only Urmas Ott could ask Joseph Kobzon about his affiliation with the mafia, and make Lyudmila Gurchenko open up about her many love affairs. The program was incredibly successful, but many were simply afraid to give Ott an interview.

He himself wrote the scripts, carefully prepared for each meeting, and no one could imagine what exactly the charming presenter would ask in front of the camera. Moreover, everyone saw the grace with which the journalist asked extremely uncomfortable questions. The presenter impressed with his ability to lead conversations with successful and famous people in the right direction. And at the same time, the interlocutor did not feel deceived and remained under a pleasant impression from Urmas Ott himself.

“The television acquaintance lasted seven years, and after its closure, a new program, Carte Blanche, appeared on Estonian television, where the host interviewed his famous fellow citizens. Although the show was a success, it was canceled in 1998.

Then the famous presenter, deprived of the most important thing in his life - television, was hospitalized with a heart attack. Fortunately, he managed to recover, but a year later, a bandit attacked Urmas Ott in the parking lot, inflicting nine stab wounds to the favorite of millions of spectators.

But this time the TV journalist did not give up either. He returned to Moscow and again began to conduct his own program, giving it a new name "Urmas Ott s …" and moved from the studio to the restaurant "Prague". As it turned out, over a glass of vodka, guests were much more willing to talk about the necessary topics. In total, about 50 programs were broadcast, and then this project was also closed. There is an opinion that someone "above" did not like the revelations of famous personalities.

Loneliness in the crowd

The whole meaning of Urmas Ott's life was work. He did not have a family, and he never spoke about his personal life, not letting anyone into his closed world. When especially persistent journalists tried to find out at least some details of his life outside of television, Urmas Ott invariably laughed it off: "My personal life is my aching back!"

In his rare interviews, the TV journalist admitted: no love tragedies have happened in his life, and he is simply not ready to raise children, therefore there are none. Urmas Ott lived as he saw fit: he loved to play tennis, listened to classical music and generally enjoyed life. And he talked about the fact that he has only one friend named Urmas Ott. He considered it completely impossible for himself to take advantage of the numerous acquaintances that he made through work.

He himself chose a secluded lifestyle and was quite pleased with his fate. And then the doctors shocked Urmas Ott with a terrible diagnosis: leukemia.

And even then he did not quit his job, but diligently hid his diagnosis not only from friends and acquaintances, but even from his mother and sister. When, after a course of chemotherapy, the presenter could no longer appear in the frame, he began to conduct the program "Within the framework of decency" on the radio, where Raymond Pauls, Alisa Freindlich and many other celebrities became Ott's guests.

On October 10, 2008, he underwent a bone marrow transplant and had a very real chance of recovery. But exactly a week later, the second heart attack claimed the life of the presenter. The mother and sister of the journalist exactly fulfilled the testament left by Urmas Ott: not to arrange magnificent farewells, but to cremate his body and scatter the ashes over the Baltic Sea.

Urmas Ott, Vlad Listyev, Sergey Suponev and other presenters became at one time the symbols of the new television. They replaced the strict announcers and very quickly won the love of the audience. but for their glory, each of them had to pay a price. And it turned out to be very high.