Simonyan shares memories of Keosayan on his 60th birthday
Today, January 4, the artist, TV host, and director Tigran Keosayan would have turned 60. In the fall of 2025, he died from a serious illness after a prolonged coma.
«Tigran is a rock. A man with an iron core and yet incredible lightness. In our house, there was always laughter from morning till night. He was always the first instigator in any jokes, in any pranks. Tigran isn»t «was» — he «is» for me. I don«t believe that people die, we just stop seeing them. I feel him near me every minute,» shared memories of Keosayan his wife, RT (Russia Today) head Margarita Simonyan in an interview with «Russia 1.»
Let«s recall how the TV host»s life unfolded and what creative legacy he left behind.
Tigran Keosayan«s Creative and Personal Life
Keosayan was born in 1966 into the family of famous Soviet director Edmond Keosayan (who directed the trilogy «The Elusive Avengers»). The younger son, Tigran, followed in his footsteps. In 1983, he graduated from school and started working at «Mosfilm.» He enrolled in the directing department of VGIK (All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography), but left from there to serve in the army.
He directed his first film, «Katka and Shiz» (18+), in 1992. From 1993, together with Fyodor Bondarchuk, he shot music videos for famous musicians, including Irina Allegrova.
He graduated from the directing department in 1998, having directed the comedy «Poor Sasha» (0+) with Vera Glagoleva and Alexander Zbruev.
The director had many successful films: «Hare Over the Abyss» (18+), «Yalta-45» (18+), «Three Comrades» (18+), «Crimean Bridge. Made with Love!» (18+).
However, Keosayan did not stop there and decided to try himself as a TV host. From 2007, he hosted the talk show «Evening with Tigran Keosayan» on REN TV. In 2009–2010, on «Russia» channel, together with Alena Khmelevskaya, he hosted the TV show «You and I» about family secrets of stars. In 2010, he hosted the program «Hot Evening with Tigran Keosayan.»
From 2016, Tigran hosted the evening satirical show «International Sawmill» on NTV. For his participation in it, in 2022, sanctions were imposed against Tigran Keosayan by the European Union, as well as individual countries — Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.
In 2024, Tigran Keosayan received the title of Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation for his contribution to the development of culture.
The host was married twice. His first wife was actress Alena Khmelevskaya. The former spouses lived together from 1993 to 2014. They have two daughters — Alexandra and Ksenia.
However, Tigran did not aim to remain a bachelor and for many years tried to formalize his marriage with RT and MIA «Russia Today» editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan. The couple had been together for over 12 years, but only had an official wedding in 2022. The spouses have three children: daughters Maryana and Maro, and son Bagrat.
Simonyan admitted that for a long time she did not agree to marry her beloved, as she never wanted to get married. Keosayan periodically proposed to his future wife and gave her rings.
More about the TV host«s relationships with his wives is told in this material.
Health Problems
The artist«s health deteriorated in January 2008. Then the TV host was taken to the hospital in a pre-infarction state. The director underwent a course of treatment at the Bakulev Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery. Keosayan had an operation to install a stent in an artery to restore normal blood flow.
But in 2010, the situation repeated, the TV host again had similar symptoms, and he ended up in the hospital again. Doctors discovered an acute myocardial infarction. Then Keosayan underwent a repeated course of stenting to improve blood circulation and reduce the risks of further heart problems.
In December 2024, the TV host was again in the hospital, but in extremely serious condition, suffered clinical death and fell into a coma, from which he could not recover. The cause of the health problems that arose remains unknown to this day.
Among possible factors, previously suffered heart attacks are mentioned, as well as hypothetical external influences. This was reported by radio host Nikita Nebylitsky in his Telegram channel. He suggests that Keosayan fell into a coma not as a result of medical intervention (medically induced coma), but for natural reasons.
Margarita Simonyan in her Telegram channel confirmed that her husband had long had serious heart problems. At that time, his family was deeply affected by the worsening health issues. However, Keosayan never came out of the coma and died on September 26, 2025.
Margarita Simonyan«s own health also deteriorated against the backdrop of her husband»s illness. In September 2025, she found out that she developed breast cancer. Since October, the journalist has been undergoing a course of treatment. Recently, she admitted that with each chemotherapy session, she feels worse and worse.
