In the television memory of several generations, Brigita Cholakova remains with her voice, gaze and presence in front of the camera. On October 12, 1933, the journalist was born, who would later become one of the most recognizable faces of Bulgarian Television.
An important clarification regarding the date is that Cholakova did not die on October 12. Her death occurred suddenly on October 6, 1999 - just six days before her birthday. According to the News.bg report, her relatives found her at her home at noon. Her longtime colleague Tanya Dimitrova reported her sudden death.
Television as a personal touch
Cholakova worked for many years at Bulgarian Television and left behind a series of shows, including “TV Lens“, “You Wished to See“, “Television Presents“, “Style“, “TV Sunday“ and “Fashion Television“. In them, she combines conversations, culture, social issues, fashion and human stories.
For her, television hosting is not just reading a pre-prepared text. Colleagues and friends describe her as extremely demanding in terms of preparation, language, behavior in front of the camera and every detail of the show. Because of her character and professional approach, she received the nickname “The Iron Lady of the TV Screen“.
Among the topics she has returned to over the years is documentary. “My great love has been documentary, I have over 20 documentaries on historical and cultural themes“ behind me,“, says Cholakova in a recording kept by the Bulgarian National Radio.
From “TV Sunday“ to television memory
One of the shows with which her name remains permanently associated is “TV Sunday“. It is where Milen Tsvetkov's television journey began, who later became the host of “Around the World and at Home“. BNT points to Cholakova as a person who gave future journalists the opportunity to take their first steps in front of an audience.
In 2000, a year after her death, BNT broadcast the documentary film “Brigita Cholakova - life as solitaire“. In the 28-minute production, relatives, friends and colleagues remember her, including Alexandrina Isaylova, Boryana Dimitrova, cameraman Krum Georgiev and musician Vili Kazasyan.
Thus, October 12 remains both Brigita Cholakova's birthday and an occasion to remember her contribution to Bulgarian television. Her death is long gone, but her shows, her way of working, and her voice continue to be present in the archives and memories of the time when a TV presenter could be an entire institution.
Sources: bnt.bg, old-news.bnr.bg, news.bg