Siw Malmkvist Becomes Oldest Christmas Host on SVT, Introduces New Interactive Segment

At 88 years old, Siw Malmkvist has made history by becoming the oldest Christmas host (julvärd) on Swedish television, leading the 2025 SVT Christmas broadcast. She was tasked with lighting the Christmas candle at 15:00, a traditional and symbolic moment in the program. Despite feeling nervous about the live event, Malmkvist sought to bring fresh energy to the broadcast by introducing a new quiz segment designed for viewers to engage with, though the quiz's theme was kept under wraps.

An amusing highlight during the broadcast was when Malmkvist lit the candle and then simultaneously blew out the match and the candle's flame. While some viewers initially thought this was a mistake, Malmkvist revealed that it was a deliberate, humorous gesture she devised to entertain the audience.

Malmkvist expressed concerns about nervousness, saying, "I don’t want to get nervous, because when you get nervous, you become so damn jittery. Then you mess up all the time." Her ability to balance tradition with innovation and humor helped create a memorable Christmas broadcast. This event cements her place in Swedish entertainment history as both a respected veteran and an engaging personality willing to try new things on live TV.