Yuri Alexandrovich Nikolaev was born on December 16, 1948, in Chișinău and died on November 4, 2025, in Moscow. He was not only a television host but also an actor who received the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation in 1998. He grew up in a military family: his father, Alexander Silvestrovich, served as a colonel in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, while his mother, Valentina Ignatovna, held the rank of captain in the KGB. During his school years, Nikolaev studied at a physics and mathematics school and was actively involved in theater and artistic creativity on local television. In 1970, he graduated from the State Institute of Theatrical Art (GITIS), earning a degree in theater and film acting.
The beginning of his career was associated with the A. S. Pushkin Theater, where he worked from 1970 to 1975. From 1973 to 1975, Nikolaev also collaborated with television on a freelance basis, and from 1975, he became part of the Central Television of the State Television and Radio Company of the USSR. He gained fame as the host of the popular musical program "Morning Mail," which aired from 1975 to 1991. Additionally, he hosted shows such as "Blue Light," "Song of the Year," as well as song festivals from Jurmala and the children's program "Good Night, Little Ones!"
In 1991, Yuri Nikolaev founded his production studio "UNIKS" and became the host of the program "Morning Star," where he discovered new talents. He also participated in the creation and production of the program "Guess the Melody." In the early 2000s, he continued to host musical shows such as "Dancing with the Stars" and "Dancing on Ice," and from 2009, he was the host of the program "The Heritage of the Republic" on "Channel One."
Yuri Nikolaev left a bright mark in the history of television in the USSR and Russia, as evidenced by his title of People's Artist and awards from the Union of Journalists.
