{{short description|Israeli television personality}} {{Infobox person | name = Assi Azar | image = ESC2019_-_Asi_Azar_(cropped).jpg | caption = Azar during the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 | native_name = אסי עזר | native_name_lang = he | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|06|10|df=y}} | birth_place = Holon, Israel | occupation = Television presenter | years_active = 2004–present | known_for = Hosting ''Big Brother - Israel'', ''The Next Star'' and ''Eurovision 2019'' | height = | spouse = {{marriage|Albert Escolà Benet|11 April 2016}} }}
'''Assi Azar''' ({{langx|he|אסי עזר}}; born 10 June 1979) is an Israeli television host and screenwriter. He is the creator of the romantic comedy TV series ''Beauty and the Baker'' (2013 - 2021) and co-creator of the new TV series, ''Metukim'' (2024–present).
==Biography== Assi Azar was born in Holon, Israel.<ref name="Azar on nrg">[http://www.nrg.co.il/online/5/ART1/781/862.html Azar] on nrg.co.il {{in lang|he}}</ref> He is of Bukharan-Jewish and Yemenite descent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://awiderbridge.org/assi-azar/|title=Assi Azar [TV Host] - AWiderBridge|date=8 October 2013|publisher=|accessdate=28 January 2019|archive-date=15 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915204157/http://awiderbridge.org/assi-azar/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2005, Azar came out as gay.<ref>"[http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3066226,00.html Assi Azar comes out]", ynet, March 31, 2005. {{in lang|he}}</ref><ref name=cornell /> Shortly after, he began to create the documentary film,<ref name=cornell /> ''Mom and Dad: I Have Something to Tell You''. On 11 April 2016, Azar married his Spanish boyfriend Albert Escolà Benet at a ceremony in Barcelona.
Azar is an LGBT rights advocate. In 2009, he was listed among the most 100 influential gay people in the world by ''OUT Magazine''.<ref name=cornell>{{cite web| url= https://events.cornell.edu/event/assi_azar_israeli_tv_personality_and_gay_rights_advocate| publisher= Cornell University | title= ASSI AZAR: Israeli TV personality and gay rights advocate| date= Spring 2015| accessdate= 24 June 2015}}</ref>
In January 2022, the actor Yehuda Nahari alleged that Azar sexually harassed him during a job interview at Azar's home.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220106073336/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israeli-tv-star-and-eurovision-co-host-assi-azar-accused-of-sexual-assault-1.10517344 Israeli TV star and Eurovision co-host Assi Azar accused of sexual assault], Haaretz</ref>
==Media career== He co-hosted ''Big Brother - Israel'' with Erez Tal until 2015 and ''The Next Star'' with Rotem Sela. He is also the creator of the romantic comedy TV series, ''Beauty and the Baker''.
His first program was on the online show ''KIK''. In 2004–2005 Assi co-hosted TV youth show ''Exit''.<ref name="Azar on nrg"/> Later he participated in the programs ''Good Evening with Guy Pines'' and ''The Champion: Locker Room'', as well as the satirical programs ''Trapped 24'', ''Talk to My Agent'' and reality series ''The Show'' which was cancelled after only two episodes due to bad ratings.<ref>{{Cite news |last=גאוני |first=יעל |date=2006-03-12 |title=לאחר שתי תוכניות: ערוץ 10 מוריד את התוכנית "THE SHOW" |url=https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1000070587 |access-date=2024-04-05 |work=Globes |language=he}}</ref>
Azar hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv alongside Lucy Ayoub, Erez Tal and Bar Refaeli.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Zwart|first1=Josianne|title=Bar Refaeli, Erez Tal, Assi Azar & Lucy Ayoub to host Eurovision 2019!|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/hosts-2019-bar-refaeli-erez-tal-assi-azar-lucy-ayoub|website=eurovision.tv|date=25 January 2019 |accessdate=25 January 2019}}</ref> It was reported that Tal and Refaeli would be the main hosts, while Azar and Ayoub would host the green room.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2019/01/25/meet-the-eurovision-2019-hosts-bar-refaeli-erez-tal-assi-azar-and-lucy-ayoub/230316/|title=Meet the Eurovision 2019 hosts: Bar Refaeli, Erez Tal, Assi Azar and Lucy Ayoub|date=25 January 2019|website=wiwibloggs.com|access-date=26 January 2019}}</ref> On 28 January, Azar and Ayoub hosted the contest's semi-final allocation draw at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.<ref name="draw">{{Cite web|last=Groot|first=Evert|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/semi-final-allocation-draw-2019|title=Semi-Final Allocation Draw pots revealed!|publisher=Eurovision Song Contest|date=26 January 2019|website=eurovision.tv|accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref>
==See also== *List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category-inline}} *{{IMDb name|id=1707911}} *{{Instagram|assiazar}}
{{S-start}} {{Succession box | title = Eurovision Song Contest presenter|with=Erez Tal, Bar Refaeli and Lucy Ayoub | years = 2019 | before = {{flagicon|Portugal}} Sílvia Alberto, Daniela Ruah, Catarina Furtado and Filomena Cautela | after = {{flagicon|Netherlands}} Edsilia Rombley, Chantal Janzen, Jan Smit and Nikkie de Jager <small>(2021)</small> }} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Azar, Assi}} Category:1979 births Category:Israeli people of Yemeni-Jewish descent Category:Israeli television presenters Category:Gay Jews Category:Israeli gay entertainers Category:Living people Category:People from Holon Category:Israeli LGBTQ broadcasters Category:Israeli Mizrahi Jews Category:21st-century Israeli LGBTQ people Category:Israeli people of Uzbekistani-Jewish descent Category:Bukharan Jews