Timophey Bajenov
RussiaBiography of Timofey Bazhenov
Russian television journalist, zoologist, author, and hostTimofey Bazhenov is a Russian television journalist, zoologist, author, and host who combines his two main passions, biology and journalism. With almost twenty years of experience in journalism, Timofey has worked as a music host, reporter in conflict zones and at the State Duma, documentary filmmaker, and creator of captivating television stories for children.
Early Life and Education
Timofey, a native Muscovite, was born on January 25, 1975, into a family of journalists and inherited his surname from the famous architects and artists, the Bazhenovs. Unfortunately, his childhood was not very fortunate. His parents divorced after his mother, Tatyana Ivanova, suffered a severe car accident that disfigured her face. Timofey still cannot forgive his father for this betrayal, which may be why he is not in a hurry to start a family of his own. He was raised by his mother and grandmother, a skilled doctor who worked during the blockade of Leningrad. However, Timofey preferred physical work over studies. He claims that at the age of nine, he built a sauna at his family's dacha, which he still uses to this day. His favorite hobbies include working with wood and metal, as well as car repairs.
Despite his passion for manual labor, Timofey decided to continue his education in accordance with his family's traditions. He enrolled in the evening department of the journalism faculty at Moscow State University (MGU). At the same time, he began working at VGTRK media holding, where he hosted the programs "Radiozapovednik" and "Musical Express." In 1998, after receiving his diploma (while continuing his studies in the evening department of the biology faculty at MGU), Timofey joined the staff of NTV television channel, learning from his senior colleagues such as Vladimir Kulistikov, Tatiana Mitkova, and Oleg Dobrodeev. He started as a special correspondent and later held various positions such as administrator, announcer, editor, and director. His reports were featured in programs like "Segodnya," "Namedni," "Profession-Reporter," "Itogi," and many others. He covered conflicts and wars, witnessed death and injuries, and even got injured himself.
Television Career
In 2000, Timofey decided to shift away from political and social topics. He launched his own educational project called "Expedition" on NTV channel, which was based on his documentary films about travel and wildlife. Many of his films were unique, allowing viewers to witness a brown bear sucking its paw, a polar bear nursing its cubs, and a lynx giving birth. "Expedition" was highly successful among television viewers, who appreciated not only the captivating footage but also the practical survival advice provided. It should be noted that participating in such filming was just as risky as reporting from war zones. Timofey had to endure freezing temperatures for hours, conquer extreme heat and water scarcity, and come in close contact with dangerous predators and venomous snakes. From 2003, the program aired as "Wild World" and remained popular until 2011 when Timofey ended his collaboration with NTV.
From his expeditions, Timofey often brought back injured animals, which found a home on his dacha. Over time, he established a small countryside zoo where several wolves, a lynx, rabbits, hawks, raccoons, and even a leopard resided. Timofey personally trained the animals, and they became the stars of a new program called "Bazhenov's Tales," which premiered on NTV in 2004. Timofey's mother wrote the scripts for the fairy tales, professional actors provided the voices, and Timofey and his crew filmed the four-legged actors. The program aired on Sunday mornings, but despite its high ratings, it incurred commercial losses, leading to its cancellation in 2010. The creators of the show continued to receive letters from viewers for a long time, asking for their beloved program to be brought back.
Current Work
Since the autumn of 2010, Timofey Bazhenov has been working for the television channels "Rossiya-22" and "Moya Planeta." His new project is an extreme educational program called "Bazhenov's Rating," which consists of several series, each dedicated to interacting with dangerous animals, surviving in extreme conditions, and conducting experiments on the human body. The first film in the series, "The Most Dangerous Animals," focused on the viper. It was followed by films about man-eating tigers, polar bears, animal behavior during fires, and more. Fans of extreme activities eagerly watched the films in the series "Could Have Been Worse," where Timofey walked on fire, escaped from a closed tank, and demonstrated survival skills in the forest.
Currently, Timofey Bazhenov has authored over five hundred documentary films that captivate audiences with both his abilities and unique appearance. He loves tattoos and claims that each one represents an animal he has had in the past. As for marriage, the renowned television journalist states that he will get married as soon as he meets a woman ready to fulfill certain undisclosed conditions.
