Rumors swirled around the Russian television landscape after showman Gauguin Solntsev surfaced with a claim about being tapped to replace Nikolai Tsiskaridze on the Tonight program. Channel One’s press service declined to confirm the report, leaving audiences with questions about what really happened behind the scenes. A spokesperson for the channel was approached for comment, and the response was clear: there was no confirmation of Solntsev’s account. The silence from the network added a layer of mystery to a story that had already captured public attention.
Solntsev, known for his varied career in show business, reportedly received a telephone call from Channel One in which he was presented with the prospect of stepping into the role of host for Tonight. The talk was said to involve a pairing with his former wife, Ekaterina Tereshkovich, as potential co-hosts for the show. The claim suggested that the network was contemplating a fresh start for the program in the upcoming television season that was slated to begin in September, with Solntsev and Tereshkovich as the faces of the new season. The entertainer described the invitation as a casting call that would position him in the host chair alongside Tereshkovich, intensifying speculation about leadership changes on the program.
Meanwhile, Nikolai Tsiskaridze continued to be active in the media circuit. He held the role of host on Tonight during May 2022, bringing his own style to the program. The first issue with Tsiskaridze as host featured a lineup of notable guests, including People’s Artist of Russia Nikolai Rastorguev, as well as Larisa Luzhina, Marina Neelova, Boris Galkin, and several others who appeared as the guest list for the premiere under the new hosting arrangement. Reports from the audience and extras during filming on a late-April date indicated that Tsiskaridze had been selected for the host position, even as discussions about future seasons and potential changes continued to circulate among viewers. These developments underscored how high the profile of Tonight had become, with audiences eagerly tracking who would guide the show into the next phase of its life on air.
The Tonight program has a history of evolving leadership. The first presenter was Andrey Malakhov, who then made way for a later era led by Maxim Galkin and Yulia Menshova. This lineage of hosts reflects the program’s ongoing effort to balance celebrity appeal with broad audience engagement, a dynamic that often invites speculation when new names surface for the coveted hosting duties. As conversations about the show’s future continue, viewers remain attentive to official communications from Channel One and to any forthcoming confirmations regarding who will helm Tonight in the forthcoming season, especially as media coverage amplifies rumors into wider public awareness.