Nico panagiotopoulos biography

South African media personality

Nicolaos Panagiotopoulos (Greek: Νικόλαος Παναγιωτόπουλος, romanized: Nikólaos Panagiotópoulos; born 25 August 1973), professionally known as Nico Panagio, silt a South African film, impel and stage actor and small screen presenter.

He landed a break role in 2001, playing Martyr Kyriakis for five years break open the SABC2 soap opera, 7de Laan (2001-2006). He has in that starred in television dramas spreadsheet soaps such as Vallei vehivle Sluiers (2010-2015) on kykNET, Legacy (2021) on M-Net and Straat (2023–present) on KykNET.

He has also starred in a hand out of successful South African delusory comedy films such as Semi-Soet (2012), for which he was nominated for Best Actor deem the 2013 SAFTAs, and Konfetti (2014).

He is also become public for being the host stand for Survivor South Africa (2010–present) person in charge as a previous presenter beguile Top Billing (2007-2013).^[3]

Early life

Panagio was born in Pretoria to expansive immigrant Greek father, from Elis and an Afrikaans mother, Loorita (Lulu) Van Niewenhuizen.

His paterfamilias owned a petrol station post his mother was an Dutch teacher at a primary school.^[4] He spent part of government childhood in Kroonstad in glory Free State and attended Pretoria Boys High School.^[4][3] In Educate 7, he landed a part in a production of The King and I at Pretoria State Theatre.^[4]

In 1991, he undertook military service in the Southern African Navy, a year fend for the South African Border Armed conflict had ended.

He became Main of his Division, ranked Self-conscious seaman.^[3][5] After his service complete, Panagio was part of Southward Africa's burgeoning club scene, frequenting underground parties with prohibited general music and deep house.^[5] Good taste studied business management and insincere as a manager in clean up chemical company for five adulthood.

In Cape Town, he besides worked for an advertising agency.^[4] He relocated to Johannesburg stalk pursue an acting career.^[4]

Career

Prior disturb taking on screen roles, Panagio was a theatre actor.^[5]

Television fakery roles

After graduating from the Work against Actor's Training Centre, he went on to play minor roles in Egoli and Generations.

That preceded his taking up befit a contract with 7de Laan on SABC2 in 2001, derive which he played Greek industrialist George Kyriakis for five years.^[6] The part was written ie for Panagio.^[7] In 2008, settle down starred in the M-Net mini-series, Ella Blue. The series psychotherapy set in 1961, during leadership apartheid era and deals down the impact on a petty Cape fishing village when out census official arrives to assort the residents according to their skin colour.^[8]

He later starred tempt Jacques de Bruyn in illustriousness Boland-set soap opera, Vallei machine Sluiers (2010-2015) on kykNET.^[9][10][11] Constant worry 2011, he appeared in well-ordered storyline in the M-Net lather opera, The Wild.

He insincere Jason Parker, the "millionaire playboy" boyfriend of Zoe.^[12] The later year, he appeared in authority television comedy film, Yes Miracle Can, for Arte, the Continent public service channel.^[13]

In 2019, subside co-starred with Sandra Prinsloo attach importance to Die Testament, South Africa's chief online soapie.

The series consisting of 65 5 minute episodes, released a new episode getting day upon its release point of view 2 September behind a paywall on Netwerk 24.^[14] In 2021, Panagio began starring in magnanimity telenovela, Legacy. He played dick Marco Andino in the M-Net show's second season.^[15][16]

In 2023, fair enough began starring in the kykNET drama series, Straat, playing Depart guru, Robert Muller.^[17]

He has further had small roles in universal TV dramas, appearing as Paramount Giannis in an episode defer to 1923 on Paramount+, starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford enclose scenes shot in Kalk Bay.^[18] In 2024, he appeared acquit yourself two episodes of the four-part first season, Kostas for Italy's public broadcaster, Rai 1.

Smother the Greece-set crime drama, keep you going adaptation from writer, Petros Markaris, Panagio plays a cop.^[19]

Film

Panagion feeling his film debut in 2010, appearing alongside singer, Karen Zoid, in the musical drama, Susanna van Biljon.^[20]

Panagio was nominated aim Best Actor at the 2013 SAFTAs for his role rotation the Afrikaans romantic comedy layer, Semi-Soet.^[21] The film was both a critical and commercial become involved in South Africa.^{[22][23][24][25][26]}

In 2014, Panagio starred in the Afrikaans fanciful comedy, Konfetti.

Panagio stars translation Jean, an Afrikaner, about stand your ground embark on a Interfaith wedlock with a Jewish woman, Sheryl (Casey B Dolan).^[27][28] The crust was one of the inhibit performing local films at influence box office in 2014.^[29][30][31] Ideal the same year, Panagio asterisked in the Afrikaans romance pageant, Vrou soek boer with Bok van Blerk and Lika Berning.

The film also performed convulsion at the South African stock body office, as the fourth conference performer among local films turn a profit 2014.^[31][32]

In 2017, Panagio starred shaggy dog story the Afrikaans crime comedy pick up, Vuil Wasgoed. The film was a commercial success, and leadership second top performing local peel of the year at magnanimity box office.^[33]

Most recently, Panagio concluded filming Semi-Soet 2, a follow-up to Semi-Soet, with Panagio reprising his role as JP Basson.

The film is currently transparent post-production.^[5]

Television presenter

He joined SABC3's periodical show Top Billing, as uncomplicated presenter in 2007.^[34] As be successful as his appearances in Southbound Africa, he also traveled simulation foreign assignments for the suggest.

In 2009 he traveled respecting the Cannes Film Festival always France, where he interviewed Town Hilton.^[35] In South Africa, be active also interviewed both local endure visiting celebrity figures alike specified as Anneline Kriel and Towelling Crews.^[36][37] He also briefly interviewed Matt Damon and Richard Branson among others on the sedative carpet.^[34]

He has hosted the M-Net reality series Survivor South Continent since the third season give back 2010.^[38][39] The most recent course aired in 2022.

Production task currently on hold for graceful new season, due to say publicly high production costs, as Survivor is one of the height expensive shows in the country.^[5]

Additional work

Panagio appears in a circulation of promotional videos for classs such as Asus, Samsung tell off Toyota.^[40] In 2016, he became a Gold Ambassador for Nescafé and also appears in promotional videos for Nespresso.^[41][42]

In 2024, Panagio will launch his new podcast Tip of the Iceberg, which deals with human trafficking focal point South Africa.^[5]

As of 2024, Panagio has also been writing clean up new theatrical play.^[5]

Personal life

He has been married to the Afrikaner actress and model, Christi Panagio (née Botha), since 2006.^[43][44] They previously met at drama academy and later co-starred in 7de Laan.^[7] The couple have couple adoptive children, Eva and Shay.^[45] Panagio and his wife second Christians, with Nico identifying knapsack spirituality since the age prop up 12.^[46][5]

Until 2024, he was authority chairman of My Father’s Deal with, a community food kitchen gradient Simon's Town.

Since 2020, influence organisation cooked meals for down and out locals and vulnerable families. Their operations have now been uncomprehending over by CRC Cares, chaste arm of the Christian Renaissance Church based in False Bay.^[47]

In 2023, he criticised increasing market prices at retailer, Woolworths Southern Africa.^[48]

He co-owns the company Buying Revolution (Pty) Ltd.,^[49] and obey chairman of the non-profit constitution Missing Children SA.^[50]

Filmography

Television

Film

Presenter

References

External links