Michel Dejeneffe, creator of the Tatayet puppet, dies

Michel Dejeneffe, the Belgian creator of the famous puppet Tatayet, has died. He was celebrated in the 1980s and 1990s for his appearances with Tatayet on Belgian and French television shows, including those hosted by Michel Drucker and Patrick Sébastien. The news was reported by Le Monde on August 9, 2026. Dejeneffe's work with Tatayet made him a familiar figure in European entertainment, and his passing marks the end of an era for puppet-based television comedy.