Oleksandr Skichko

Oleksandr Skichko is a multifaceted Ukrainian figure, working as a politician, comedian, actor, and television presenter. Born on April 28, 1991, in Cherkasy, he began his journey into the public eye at a young age. His early musical training included studying the Ukrainian sopilka and saxophone at a music school, culminating in a first-prize win at the VIII International Festival of Children's and Youth Creativity 'Polish Autumn' when he was fifteen. He also demonstrated an aptitude for languages, attending summer language courses in Great Britain twice and studying English at a gymnasium with an in-depth study of foreign languages.

Skichko’s television career started in 2006-2007 hosting the youth program 'Teen-Club' on O-TV. He gained wider recognition in 2009 as a finalist on Ukrayina maye talant, performing as a parody act. From 2012 to 2013, he hosted both Pidyom on Novyi Kanal and the morning show 'Let's Go Show' on NRJ radio. He also reached the final of 'Minute of Glory' in Moscow in 2010. In 2017, he co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 in Kyiv alongside other presenters, a significant moment in Ukrainian cultural history. His participation in Tantsi z zirkamy (Ukrainian version of Dancing with the Stars) in the same year ended prematurely; he was the first male celebrity contestant eliminated.

Skichko’s career took a turn into politics when he ran for parliament in 2019 as a Servant of the People candidate and was elected to the Verkhovna Rada, receiving 50.93% of the vote. He served as Governor of Cherkasy Oblast from January 29, 2021, until March 2, 2022, and also headed the Cherkasy Regional State Administration (ODA) during that time. His parliamentary mandate was revoked on March 30, 2021. He is a People's Deputy of the IX convocation and a member of the Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. Since February 2015, he has hosted the program 'Sing Like a Star' on Ukraine television, and in 2017, he contributed to the art project ‘When Pictures Speak’ by providing audio guides for the National Art Museum of Ukraine. He married Elizaveta Yurysheva in 2017, and they have three children. He is also a member of the Ukrainian Journalists' Football Team since 2017.