Eleni Menegaki
| Eleni Menegaki Ελένη Μενεγάκη | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 29, 1969 Athens, Greece |
| Years active | 1991-present |
| Spouse(s) | Giannis Latsios (2001-2010) |
| Children |
Aggelos (2000) Laoura (2005) Valeria (2008) |
Eleni Menegaki (Greek: Ελένη Μενεγάκη) (born 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 after, 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 ANT1 channel successful comedy tv show "Pater Imon" portraying a radio producer. Nextt year, she started hosting the ANT1 channel morning show "Proinos Kafes". She kept 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 the low ratings of the first season, it soon became a great success especially in the commercial target group 15-44. 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". Since its airing, 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 was born in 2002, Laoura was born in 2005 and Valeria was born in 2008. In January 29, 2010, Eleni announced her divorce with Giannis Latsios. Few months later, Eleni's new relationship with businessman Makis Pantzopoulos became known to media.
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 highy discussed topic. She is considered a huge role model by many Greek women. According to a lot of rumors from blogs, tabloids and newspapers, she is the highest paid person in Greek TV. Thema newspaper once stated that she earnes 100.000 euro per month.