Bulgarian TV host Milen Tsvetkov dies in a car crash

Bulgarian TV host and journalist Milen Tsvetkov died in a car crash on Sunday, media reported. He died on his way to the hospital, aged 53. 

The fatal incident took place while he was waiting on a red light at a crossroad in Sofia, when his vehicle was crashed into by a speeding jeep that failed to stop, the Ministry of Interior stated. The reckless 22-year old driver of the other vehicle tested positive for amphetamines and cannabis and faces up to 15 years in jail. 

Tsvetkov, born in 1966 in Sofia, was one of the most popular TV personalities in Bulgaria. He was popular for his charismatic presence on screen, and for a passion that often verged on impatience and sarcasm, particularly when dealing with those in power. 

Tsvetkov started his career in the cult early 90s comedy show “Ku-Ku” and as a news presenter on Bulgarian National Television. He was most probably best known as a morning host – first with “Zdravei, Bulgaria” (“Hello, Bulgaria”), which started in 2000 and then on “60 Minutes with Milen Tsvetkov” which started in 2005, which was morphed into “The hour of Milen Tsvetkov”.

Tsvetkov also worked as a radio presenter. He hosted a local edition of “Big Brother” in 2008. Apart from journalism, he’s known also for a cameo appearance in the video “3 v 1”, one of the biggest hits of hip-hop band Upsurt. 

Previously this year, together with journalist Genka Shikerova, Tsvetkov started a new discussion show, “Alternativata”, on TV1. The last episode with him was broadcast on April 18 and tackled the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.