RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After a period of speculation and conflicting news, the death of TV host Gugu Liberato, at the age of 60, was confirmed on Friday, November 22nd. On Wednesday, Gugu suffered an accident in his home in Orlando, United States, and was hospitalized in critical condition.
According to sources close to the host, he fell from the roof of the residence, from a height of four meters, and suffered an injury to the head.
Antônio Augusto de Moraes Liberato, known to Brazilians as Gugu, was born in São Paulo on April 10th, 1959. The son of Portuguese immigrants, a truck driver and a clothes saleswoman, he started working as a real estate office-boy at the age of 12.
He was an altar boy and an office assistant while dreaming of an opportunity on television.
Gugu was regarded as one of the most renowned hosts in Brazilian television, with an enormous charisma.
He started working at the age of 14 at SBT, as a production assistant for the show ‘Domingo no Parque’, hosted by Silvio Santos. At the station, he led very successful shows, such as ‘Viva a Noite’, ‘Sabadão Sertanejo’ and ‘Domingo Legal’.
Unsure whether his communication career would be successful, he had studied hentistry for two years, before returning to television and graduating in Journalism from Cásper Líbero Institute in São Paulo. His first show in front of the cameras was in 1981 in the old ‘Sessão Premiada’, on SBT. In 1982, Silvio developed a show on Saturday nights, ‘Viva a Noite’.
In addition to being a host, he took part in several movies by ‘Os Trapalhões’, such as ‘O Casamento dos Trapalhões’ (1988) and ‘O Noviço Rebelde’ (1997), as well as ‘Xuxa e os Duendes’ (2001). His most successful parallel career, however, was in music. All due to ‘A Dança do Passarinho’, which he released in 1984.
After 16 years in SBT, Gugu moved to Rede Record in 2009, media flagship of evangelical bishop-entrepreneur Eric Macedo, one of the most influential and controversial religious figure in South America.
Gugu leaves his wife Rose Miriam Di Matteo, with whom he had three children: João Augusto, 18, and the twins Sofia and Marina, 16.
In a note, the family said they have no information concerning the transfer of the body to Brazil for enterrment. But they said that at Gugu’s request, his organs will be donated.