Czech television host Aleš Háma announced his departure from the Athlete of the Year gala after twenty years during a live broadcast on Czech Television, prompting speculation about his future television roles.
- Aleš Háma stepped down from hosting the Atlet roku gala after two decades on air.
- His sudden exit coincides with the departure of Marek Eben and Tereza Kostková from the dance competition StarDance.
The galashow for the Athlete of the Year poll was broadcast live on ČT1 by Czech Television on Saturday, November 7, 2026. According to the Czech Athletic Federation, quartermiler Lurdes Gloria Manuel dominated the poll with 1,383 points to claim the top honor. Yet the biggest surprise of the evening occurred away from the athletic tracks.
Host Aleš Háma waited until the very end of the broadcast to address the audience. „Já už jsem tady, abych se rozloučil – nejen s dnešním večerem, ale i s Atletem roku,“ announced Háma to surprised viewers.”
He explained his departure without hesitation, stating that individuals should know when to conclude specific chapters in life. „Člověk by měl umět ukončovat určité životní etapy. Po dvaceti letech je ten čas, aby tu stanul někdo jiný, aby přinesl čerstvý vítr a nápady,“ he said during the broadcast.”
Blesk reported that the long-running host also thanked the athletes directly. „Děkuju vám, atleti, co jste mi dali a že jste mi atletiku přinesli do života,“ he told them.”
ČT 1 Atlet roku. Rok 2026. Helena Vondráčková – Dlouhá Noc Michal David a Roman Šebrle Helena Vondráčková – Dlouhá Noc To vše během 15 minut. Přenos jak z roku 2000. Wtf wtf wtf To už musí být úmyslné troleni ne? 🤣@vildafranek viděl jsi?
The timing of Háma’s announcement aligns with other major shifts in Czech broadcasting. MediaGuru reported that Marek Eben and Tereza Kostková announced on September 14 that the fourteenth season of StarDance will be their final run. Much like Háma, they are concluding a twenty-year tenure.
| Host | Program | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Aleš Háma | Atlet roku | 20 Years |
| Marek Eben & Tereza Kostková | StarDance | 20 Years |
Following Saturday’s broadcast, outlets including Aha! and eXtra.cz began speculating whether Háma is clearing his schedule to step into StarDance. While no official confirmation exists, Háma possesses direct experience with the format. In October 2021, he filled in for Tereza Kostková beside Marek Eben when she fell ill with covid, according to Právo reporting on Novinky.cz.
Despite leaving his post at Atlet roku, Háma maintains a heavy workload across multiple networks. He continues to host the quiz show Kde domov můj on Czech Television, shares hosting duties for Český slavík on TV Nova alongside Ondřej Sokol, and appears in the entertainment program Možné je všechno. Czech Television has not yet announced who will take over the Atlet roku hosting duties.
