Who Is Jovan Memedović

Jovan Memedović is a Serbian journalist, editor and television presenter, born in Belgrade in 1960. He is best known as the author and host of the documentary series “Sasvim prirodno” and as the host of the quiz show “Potera” (The Chase). For more than three decades he was associated with Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), where he rose from a part-time contributor on the morning programme to one of the public broadcaster’s most recognizable faces.

Besides his television work, he is also known as a sports journalist and commentator, especially in boxing. Because of the adventurous approach of his nature programmes, audiences and the media often call him the Serbian Bear Grylls.

Early Life and Childhood

Jovan Memedović was born in Belgrade in 1960. His exact date of birth differs between available sources: one biography gives 22 April, another source mentions 28 May, and most sources state only the year.

His family roots are in Montenegro. His father was an economist from the Durmitor region, and his mother was a psychologist from Cetinje. He attended elementary school in Dedinje, where he lived, and spent summer holidays on Durmitor as a boy. He has an older sister, a doctor of science who works for the United Nations.

From an early age he was drawn to nature and sports. He trained judo, and boxing particularly fascinated him. He also completed elementary music school.

Education

He completed secondary school at the Fourth Belgrade Gymnasium. He then enrolled at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Belgrade, graduating in 1985. One source gives 1984, so the year differs.

After graduating, he looked for work in his field. He worked as a physical education teacher and as a swimming pool lifeguard. Since jobs were scarce, he also enrolled in psychology studies but did not complete them. According to media reports, he finished the first year and, at the start of the second, registered with the unemployment office, which changed the course of his life.

Beginning of His Career

The employment office called him in for an interview, because Radio Television Belgrade was then looking for new faces. The morning programme’s editorial team wanted five new contributors and reportedly had not primarily counted on a candidate from a sports faculty. Even so, Memedović was chosen.

In 1986 he began working as a part-time contributor to the Belgrade Programme and the Morning Programme. He later hosted the Morning Programme and “Beogradska hronika” (Belgrade Chronicle), and also presented news broadcasts. In the morning programme he worked, among others, with his colleague Dragana Kosjerina.

Sports Journalism

In 1992 Jovan Memedović moved from the news desk to the sports desk. There he became known as a sports journalist and commentator, primarily covering boxing. According to a biography on the Kopaonik Business Forum website, he also commented on major sporting events, including the Olympic Games in Beijing and London and the FIFA World Cups in South Africa and Germany.

His sports education and years of experience in martial arts gave him a distinct perspective on this field, and that work remained an important part of his biography.

Rise to Popularity

Svet lova i ribolova (The World of Hunting and Fishing)

In the mid-1990s Memedović began making his own programmes. The first was “Svet lova i ribolova”, for which he travelled to remote places, including Siberia, Iceland, Greenland and Norway. According to the same biography, the series was popular even with people who are not into hunting and fishing.

Sasvim prirodno (Completely Natural)

A few years later came “Sasvim prirodno”, the programme for which he is best known today. Through it he travelled across Siberia, the Far East, the Kola Peninsula, Norway, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Svalbard and most European countries, while much of the material was filmed in Serbia and neighbouring countries.

The series promotes a healthy, active life and a close relationship with nature. According to available sources, about thirty episodes were bought by the French channel Canal Plus. Memedović stresses that, unlike Bear Grylls, he goes into the field with only one cameraman and a modest budget, yet he has travelled the world and showcased the beauty of domestic landscapes.

Potera (The Chase)

Alongside his documentary work, Jovan Memedović became the host of the quiz show “Potera”, which airs on Radio Television of Serbia. The quiz is an external production, and the licence is held by the production company “Adrenalin”. In 2023 the media reported that the eleventh season was being recorded.

Thanks to this format, Memedović reached viewers who do not follow nature documentaries, and his name became known in almost every household.

Leaving RTS

In 2023 Jovan Memedović resigned from RTS after more than three decades of work. The reason was the Code of Ethics adopted by the RTS Governing Board at the end of the previous year, on the initiative of its president Branko Klanšček. Under that code, public broadcaster employees may not host programmes produced by external companies.

Memedović addressed viewers publicly in an open letter on Instagram. He said he was no longer employed by RTS, but that the programmes he hosts would continue as before. He also explained that the practice over the previous thirty years had been different. In one statement he added that he had worked for RTS for about 36 years.

RTS expressed regret over his departure, and the editor of the entertainment programme Olivera Kovačević publicly called him “the best of us”. “Sasvim prirodno” and “Potera” continued to be broadcast, as the host himself confirmed.

Private Life

Jovan Memedović met Mirjana in 1992, and they married in 1993. The marriage lasted until 2014, when they divorced. They have two children, Maša and Uroš, who train judo. Memedović does not like to share many details about his private life, so little is known about his family.

He is known for his love of nature and the outdoors, which is also visible on his Instagram profile, where he shares photographs from the field and from his travels.

Interesting Facts

• Before television, he worked as a physical education teacher and as a swimming pool lifeguard.
• He completed elementary music school.
• He trained judo, and his children also train this sport.
• Because of “Sasvim prirodno”, he was dubbed the Serbian Bear Grylls.
• About thirty episodes of the series were bought by Canal Plus.
• According to the Kopaonik Business Forum biography, viewers voted him TV face of the year several years in a row.

Awards and Recognition

In 2007 the Journalists’ Association of Serbia awarded him the “Laza Kostić” prize in the category of reportage of the year. In addition, as reported, viewers repeatedly chose him as TV face of the year.

Legacy and Influence

Jovan Memedović is among the few Serbian journalists who managed to turn a nature documentary programme into a widely watched show. “Sasvim prirodno” has for years drawn audiences of all ages and reminded them of the beauty of nature, while his fieldwork set a standard for similar programmes in the region.

His approach, in which he travels with a small crew and talks about ordinary people and landscapes, has helped viewers see him as an approachable and credible presenter.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Jovan Memedović?

Jovan Memedović is a Serbian journalist and television presenter, the author of “Sasvim prirodno” and the host of the quiz show “Potera”.

When and where was Jovan Memedović born?

He was born in Belgrade in 1960. The exact date differs between sources, so it has not been confirmed.

Where is Jovan Memedović’s family from?

His roots are in Montenegro. His father came from Durmitor and his mother from Cetinje.

Where did Jovan Memedović graduate?

He graduated from the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Belgrade, in 1985 according to most sources.

Why is he called the Serbian Bear Grylls?

He received the nickname because of “Sasvim prirodno”, in which he travels to remote places. He stresses that he goes into the field with only one cameraman.

Why did Jovan Memedović resign from RTS?

The reason was the RTS Code of Ethics, which prohibits employees from hosting programmes by external productions. Memedović said his programmes would continue as before.

What award did Jovan Memedović win?

He is the recipient of the “Laza Kostić” award of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia for reportage of the year in 2007.

Does Jovan Memedović have children?

He has two children, Maša and Uroš, from a marriage that lasted from 1993 to 2014.

What did Jovan Memedović do before television?

He worked as a physical education teacher and a pool lifeguard, and briefly studied psychology.

Conclusion

Jovan Memedović is a journalist who went from a part-time contributor on the morning programme to one of the most recognizable faces of Serbian television. He is known for his sports journalism, the series “Sasvim prirodno” and the quiz “Potera”. Through his work and his love of nature, he has left a mark on domestic television.