The well-known journalist Kostas Hardavellas passed away yesterday at the age of 79, after a long battle with cancer.

The news of his death spread sadness in the journalistic world and in thousands of TV viewers who followed him faithfully from his beginnings on ERT, in the historical show “Reporters” and “Reportage in the Fog”, to “Invisible World” and the entertainment show ” All the good ones fit in.”

The news of his death was announced yesterday by his wife, also journalist Maria Panagopoulou, with whom they had a son. “You left as you lived: Winner! Rest now, close to the people that life deprived you of when you were a baby and you always wanted, Mama Calypso and Papa Konstantinos. See you again my Giant… and in the next life, all over again,” wrote his wife.

The last TV appearance of Kostas Hardavellas and the message of life to the viewers

The last TV appearance of Kostas Hardavella was on September 15, 2024 in the show “Confrontations” on Blue Sky, opening this winter TV season.

“Good evening, we’re still alive on stage as a rock band, says my friend Protopsalti,” he had said at the start of the show, clearly troubled by the health problem he’d been dealing with for the past few months, which had affected his vocal cords.

After the presentation of his two colleagues on the show, Kostas Hardavellas addressed the television audience, informing them of his health condition.

” As you can see my voice has not yet returned, it is coming slowly, it is recovering. My vocal chords were affected by two very important diseases that found me. I faced them, I fought them, I won, I am here. I just have this voice problem, I’m fighting it, it will come.

It was a very difficult summer for me. Very difficult. I was fighting a constant battle with severe illnesses, with serious health problems. I got over it. Some say “why don’t you sit at home Hardavella, calm down, relax, get completely well and then start the shows”.

My answer is one. I believe that television is not only to inform and entertain. It is also giving some messages. Being here right now while I’m not quite ready yet to do TV, I want to send a message to all those who are sick or not but are next to sufferers:

Never put it down. Never give up. Don’t accept the problem without fighting it. Within us is a thousand megaton bomb, which is the soul. Our soul. Put your soul in front of the problem, fight it and you will win. That’s why I’m here.”