Eliana (television host)

Eliana Michaelichen Bezerra (born November 22, 1972), known mononymously as Eliana, is a Brazilian TV host, businesswoman, and former singer.

Eliana was born on November 22, 1972, to José Bezerra and Eva Michaelichin.

José Bezerra is a Ceará native born in the city of Solonópole and Eva Michaelichin is a Brazilian descendant of Ukrainians born in Irati.

Bezerra met Michaelichin at a family home in São Paulo where they both worked.

The two married and had a daughter, Helena Duarte.

At this time, Bezerra worked as caretaker of a residential building in the São Paulo Garden in São Paulo, a job he still holds today; Michaelichin was a maid and keeper of the building.

Ten-year-old Helena wanted a sister and her parents took care of that order.

Helena was and is a fundamental part of Eliana's life and could even be called her guardian angel.

Eliana has stated that she had a healthy childhood and that although she may not have had all the toys she wanted, she had the most important things: love, respect, and education.

Her parents believed that education was of primary importance.

Eliana knew she wanted to be an artist from a young age.

As a student of the Vila-Lobos School in Ibirapuera, she participated in school parties.

She danced her first carnaval at age nine.

As early as age nine, Eliana said that she would be a great artist.

At age nine, Eliana was insistent on becoming a model and her mother registered her with a modeling agency called Joyce Manequim.

Her first television appearance was in the advertising campaign Meu primeiro sutiã where Eliana only appeared as an extra.

In 1986, at the age of 13, Eliana auditioned and was chosen to be part of the musical group A Patotinha.

She was in the group for four years, that had much success with the song Baile dos Passarinhos.

When she was seventeen, Eliana was invited by Gugu to join the successful musical group Banana Split.

Banana Split appeared on the TV show Qual é a Música? and Eliana made such an impression on host Silvio Santos that he invited her to take a screen test.

She accepted and, in 1991, eighteen-year-old Eliana hosted her first program, Festolândia.

She was studying psychology at Centro Universitário das Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas (FMU) at the same time.

Two months after the show's debut, Festolândia went off the air because of low viewership.

Eliana begged Santos for another chance; he obliged and allowed her to present sketches on the TV show Sessão Desenho.

During the show Eliana became known as Eliana dos dedinhos because of her popular song Os Dedinhos.

Eliana was now a third-year psychology student at FMU.

Rather than continue her studies, Eliana chose an artistic career.

At the age of 20, she hosted her third program Bom Dia & Cia.

This children's program included sketches, the doll Melocoton, and the robot Flitz.

The show was a success and spawned several albums and licensed products.

Eliana became a millionaire.

When Angélica left the Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão (SBT) in 1996, 23-year-old Eliana began to host TV Animal—a kids show about animals and fauna.

After successfully hosting TV Animal, Eliana wanted to present a program for the whole Brazilian family but was not able to arrive at an agreement with Santos.

She decided to sign a contract with Rede Record, where she would be able to pursue new interests and host a Sunday program.

Eliana was strongly criticized for her decision to leave the second largest broadcasting company in the nation to work for the third largest.

Eliana launched her new program, Eliana & Alegria, on October 12, 1998.

On this show she presented cartoons, acted in sketches, had musical guests, and had educational segments.

She and her team made Eliana & Alegria a great success (the program was number one with audiences).

The show reached its peak thanks to the popularity of Pokémon that was aired inside of the show.

Since 2009, she has been the host of the TV show Eliana which is broadcast on the Brazilian TV network SBT on Sunday afternoons.