On Christmas Eve 2025, host Siw Malmkvist lit the traditional light in the SVT broadcast, but it went out shortly afterward. The incident made her appear nervous, but it turned out to be a prank she had planned herself. The 88-year-old artist kept viewers company throughout the evening.
Siw Malmkvist, the beloved actress and artist who will soon turn 89, served as this year's Christmas host on SVT on Christmas Eve 2025. The tradition of a Christmas host has been ongoing since 1959, with Malmkvist following Mark Levengood from 2024. One of the host's first tasks is to light the symbolic light that marks the start of Christmas in the broadcast.
When it was time for Malmkvist to perform the ritual on December 24, the light turned on as usual. But shortly afterward, it unexpectedly went out, creating a brief moment of confusion. Malmkvist reacted by telling SVT News right after: 'When it went wrong a bit, I got a little nervous.' Viewers might have thought it was a technical glitch, but after the broadcast, she revealed the truth to the news agency TT.
'It was just for fun,' the host told TT when the broadcast ended. 'It was my own idea.'
Ahead of the assignment, Malmkvist had expressed concern about nervousness. In a behind-the-scenes interview, she said: 'You just get weird when you're nervous. I don't want to be that.' She hoped to stay calm and tell herself to 'cool down a bit' if the tension rose. Despite the prank, the evening proceeded smoothly, and Malmkvist delivered a warm Christmas atmosphere for millions of viewers.
The incident became a lighthearted highlight in a long career, where Malmkvist at 88 years old continues to surprise.
