The team of the Greek morning show Kalimera Ellada shared a deeply emotional farewell to longtime host Giorgos Papadakis on Monday 5 1, only hours after his passing on Sunday 4 1 from a sudden heart attack.
Presenters Panagiotis Stathis and Anna Livathinou appeared on air dressed in black as they honored the journalist who guided the program for decades and remained its defining presence until his final broadcast in July 2025.
Stathis expressed that he never imagined he would one day host Kalimera Ellada under such circumstances, describing Papadakis as a figure whose legacy shaped Greek journalism. He emphasized that the impact Papadakis left behind will continue to accompany viewers and colleagues alike.
Livathinou followed with her own tribute, highlighting how Papadakis transformed the morning news landscape in Greece and taught his team to work with passion and conviction.
Chief editor Anni Zioga stepped out of the newsroom in tears as she spoke about her many years working alongside him. She noted that after decades of collaboration, Papadakis had become family to her.
Zioga recalled his demanding yet profoundly fair nature, explaining that he always led from the front and accepted the cost of every decision. She added that closing this chapter of her life feels overwhelming, as voices like his never fade, and she expressed her gratitude to the man who trusted her throughout their shared career.
A legacy that shaped morning television for 33 years
Papadakis was born on 4 2 1951 in Chalandri, with family roots in Crete, and developed a distinguished career in both print and broadcast journalism. His first appearance on television came in the 1980s on the midday show Treis ston Aera, where he co hosted alongside Semina Digeni and Nasos Athanasiou.
From 1992 to 2011 and again from 2015 to 2025, he served as the face of Kalimera Ellada, the earliest morning news program in Greek television history. Between 2011 and 2015, the show briefly aired under the title Proino ANT1 before returning to its original name at his request.
His final broadcast on 4 7 2025 was marked by moving tributes from colleagues who celebrated the influence he had on the industry and the generations of journalists who followed in his footsteps.
