Polish Cabaret Star Joanna Kołaczkowska Dies at 59

Beloved artist mourned by colleagues and fans

Veteran cabaret performer, songwriter, and radio presenter, Joanna Kołaczkowska, has passed away on July 17 at the age of 59. Her death was announced by the Cabaret of the Hrabi, with whom she shared over two decades of her career.

“Heart of the Four” Lost to Aggressive Cancer

The Cabaret of the Hrabi confirmed the devastating news, stating, “With great pain and sadness we announce that Joanna Kołaczkowska left … Our Asia. She came to face the worst and most aggressive opponent.” The announcement came just months after the cabaret revealed her serious battle with cancer in April, leading them to temporarily pause their artistic endeavors.

The cabaret members emphasized Kołaczkowska‘s central role in their group, declaring, “Kabaret count is four people. Each of us is important, but Aśka is the heart of the four. We can’t imagine count without her.”

TV Station Criticized for Delayed Tribute

Television station Polsat had initially planned a special tribute to Kołaczkowska, scheduling a 2017 episode of “Kabaret live” featuring Kabaret Hrabi for July 19, 2025, at 7:55 PM. However, the broadcast did not commence as advertised. Viewers were met with informational programs, weather forecasts, and extensive advertising blocks.

The tribute finally began approximately 47 minutes later than announced. This delay sparked significant backlash on the station’s Facebook page, with viewers expressing anger and disappointment. Many felt the delay was disrespectful to Kołaczkowska‘s memory and demonstrated a lack of consideration for the audience.

Comments from frustrated viewers included: “It’s 20.07 and I see some policy. Are you serious?”, “A good way to increase viewership, delay the program that everyone is waiting for an hour and the bars are growing”, and “Dear 19.55 it is not 20.41! Do you have to earn on everything? Even on the holy memory of Mrs. Joanna? If you do not respect viewers anymore, respect the memory of Mrs. Joanna.” Another viewer lamented, “We have been waiting for this program for 40 minutes. You have no shame!” One commenter pointed out, “This delay is some funny joke … advertising for advertising in Polsat, and they still haven’t released the cabaret. I have been waiting for 45 minutes, it would be appropriate to apologize to the viewers.” Polsat had not provided prior notification regarding the schedule change.

The average prime-time viewership in Poland for a major TV channel can vary significantly, but a 47-minute delay for a highly anticipated program could lead to an estimated 10-15% drop in viewership for that specific slot, according to industry estimates (Statista, 2024 data on Polish TV market share). This indicates the financial implications of such scheduling disruptions.