In a historic setting in the center of Bergen, artists, writers, politicians and other native and immigrant people from Bergen have been honored with their own engraved stone on the sidewalk, inspired by the world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
On Friday, it’s weather forecaster and TV profile Eli Kari Gjengedal’s turn to decorate the Bergen sidewalk – to her great surprise:
– I’m very surprised! I do not understand anything. What are you doing ?, exclaims a confused Gjengedal as she gets out of the car and meets a gathered press corps.
– Gjengedal had no idea what awaited her when she got out of the car. Photo: Trond Solvang / TV 2
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Completely set out
In addition, several friends, family members and colleagues from all over Norway’s world queen are present. The surprise was a little too much for Gjengedal, who had to shed tears.
– I was completely shocked! I understood nothing! I was absolutely sure that I would go up to Ulriken and have breakfast, so I think it was a bit silly with such bad weather when we were going to the mountains, says Gjengedal to TV 2, who had to take a breather.
– I’m not sorry, I’m just completely put out, the TV profile assures.
Solemn visit
The weather gods are not on Gjengedal’s side during the solemn award, and the star was revealed in classic Bergen weather. It did not dampen the mood, and the mayor of Bergen, Rune Bakervik, was among those who were in place to pay tribute to the “queen of the weather forecast”.
– SURPRISED: Initiator Roger Iversen and mayor Rune Bakervik were among those who surprised Eli Kari Gjengedal on Friday morning. Photo: Elias Engevik / TV 2
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– The star of the year is a person I think we all have a good relationship with. For us Bergen residents, it does not have much to say whether the person in question comes with good or bad news. The good news is good, and the bad news takes us, after all, just one step closer to another new record, says Bakervik.
Contentful career
The initiator behind the increasingly star-studded street is Roger Iversen.
– It’s always shitty weather in Bergen, but we always turn on just to look at her. It did not matter so much if the weather was bad, because she is so happy that we got in a good mood, says Iversen to TV 2.
Gjengedal ends up in a celebratory company, and joins to decorate the sidewalk together with Bergen profiles such as Edvard Grieg, Frank Aarebrot, Aurora Aksnæs, Kygo, Cecilia Brækhus, Leo Ajkic and Trude Dreveland.
– Eli Kari Gjengedal is the latest addition to Bergen’s starry sky. Photo: Elias Engevik / TV 2
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– It is fun to be able to give something back, when someone has done a lot for the city, says Iversen, who promises that the starry sky will expand further in the future.
Gjengedal has been seen on screen as the host of the weather forecasts for 21 years, and has become a familiar and beloved face for the whole of Norway. Gjengedal has made a name for itself with several creative ways of reporting the weather, and has given Norwegians forecasts in spacesuits, in Sami, in song and on crutches – to name a few.
She also made a name for herself around the world when in 2014 she reported the weather for over 33 hours straight – which at the time was a new world record:
Gjengedal is also the author of three books, and has previously made a name for himself for TV viewers with appearances on “Skal vi danse” and “Farmen kjendis”.
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