Gísli Marteinn Baldursson (born 26 February 1972) is an Icelandic

television host A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for people who garner ...

and a former

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

. He is known for hosting the talk shows ''Laugardagskvöld með Gísla Marteini'' and ''Vikan með Gísla Marteini'' as well as the Icelandic broadcasts of the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

Early life

Gísli grew up in Hólar in

Breiðholt Breiðholt () is a southeastern district of Reykjavík, Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's ...

where he lived until his twenties when he moved to

Vesturbær Vesturbær () is a district in Reykjavík in Iceland, comprising eight neighbourhoods west of the city center: ''Gamli Vesturbær'' , ''Bráðræðisholt'' , ''Grandahverfi'' , ''Hagahverfi'' , ''Melar'' , ''Skjól'' , ''Grímsstaðaholt'' , ''Skil ...

Television career

Gísli Marteinn started working at

RÚV Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV) (pronounced or ) ( en, 'The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service') is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization. Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional cent ...

in 1997, first as a journalist and later as a programmer. He was the initiator of the show

Kastljós ''Kastljós'' ( en, Spotlight) is an Icelandic news magazine and talk show on the Icelandic national television channel RÚV. Þóra Arnórsdóttir is the current editor and former host of the show. The hosts for 2019-2020 are Einar Þorsteinsson ...

in 2000. In 2002, he started hosting the

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show ...

''Laugardagskvöld með Gísla Marteini''. In 2003, he won the Edda Award for Best Television Personality. In 2013 he hosted the show ''Sunnudagsmorgun''. He hosted the Icelandic broadcasts of the

from 1999 to 2005 and again from 2016.

Political career

Gísli Marteinn was a city representative for the

Independence Party Independence Party may refer to: Active parties Outside United States * Independence Party (Egypt) * Estonian Independence Party * Independence Party (Finland) * Independence Party (Iceland) * Independence Party (Mauritius) * Independence Part ...

in the

Reykjavík City Council The City Council is the governing body of the City of Reykjavík, composed of representatives elected by the inhabitants of the city. The council Municipality is responsible for enforcing the issues which that the State has delegated to local aut ...

from 2005 to 2013. He was previously a debuty representative from 2003 to 2005. He left politics in 2013 an returned to television.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldursson, Gísli Marteinn 1972 births Living people Gisli Marteinn Baldursson Gisli Marteinn Baldursson Gisli Marteinn Baldursson Eurovision commentators