Ivan Urgant is a Russian television presenter, actor, showman, musician, producer, screenwriter, and director. Longtime host of the late-night comedy talk show «Evening Urgant» on Russia’s state-run Channel One. Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the charitable foundation «Friends». Nine-time TEFI award winner. Born on April 16, 1978, in Leningrad. Holds dual Russian and Israeli citizenship.
In April 2013, during the culinary show «Smak», Ivan Urgant made an offensive and tasteless remark about Ukrainian history: "I chopped the herbs like a Red Army commissar slaughtered the inhabitants of a Ukrainian village." Later, on the air of «Evening Urgant», Ivan offered a public apology to the people of Ukraine for his insensitive joke, emphasizing in particular that he deeply loves Ukraine.
On February 16, 2022, Urgant cracked jokes on his show about hypothetical dates of an impending war with Ukraine, but soon after, tragically, nobody was laughing anymore...
Ivan Urgant’s Position on the War in Ukraine
Following the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Ivan posted a concise, generic message on his Instagram: "Fear and pain. No to war." Beyond this initial post, the presenter has made no direct political statements against Putin's regime.
From that moment on, the broadcast of «Evening Urgant» was terminated on Channel One. The federal state network claimed this was merely a coincidence linked to a broader network shift toward news programming and away from entertainment formats. At the same time, Channel One General Director Konstantin Ernst never officially confirmed the host's dismissal.
The TV presenter traveled with his family out of Russia to Israel, describing the departure as a temporary "creative sabbatical." However, he soon returned back to Russia.
On October 29, 2023, during the stage performance "The Journey of Pozner and Urgant" in Dubai, Ivan declared his love for Russia:
I love Russia. I didn't even realize how deeply I love it.
In September 2024, Ivan Urgant was included in the blacklist of forbidden performers, whose public appearances Russian authorities view as undesirable due to perceived disloyalty.
In May 2025, during one of his private concert performances, he sang a satirical song about his cancellation and called out: "Bring everyone home right now":
Once upon a time lived a TV host. He was successful and rich,
Until one day he posted a tiny little black square online.
He sold his home, sold everything inside that house,
And with all that money bought US dollars at the rate of 106.
Live happily, and may everyone who is away from home return home. Bring them all home right now!
He registered on Roskomnadzor's state portal. This official registration indicates that Russian state regulatory agencies formally monitor and supervise his public social media activities.
Celebrities on the Position of Ivan Urgant
At the start of the war, Ivan Urgant called me on the phone, weeping into the receiver and saying: 'Please forgive us.' He was one of those rare people who felt such anguish that he apologized on behalf of his entire country.
это уже могло ставить крест на всех активах в рф
Його ТГ-канал зареєстровано в реєстрі РКН