Departures of note

Michel Dejeneffe was a Belgian puppeteer and ventriloquist who became widely known in the 1980s for his puppet character Tatayet, an anthropomorphic beaver dressed in overalls. He performed with Tatayet on numerous French and Belgian television and radio programs, appearing alongside prominent hosts such as Michel Drucker and Patrick Sébastien.

From 1986 to 1992, Dejeneffe hosted his own television program in Belgium, Le Tatayet Show. He also published a book titled Le Journal de Tatayet and released several music albums including Enfin seul!, Tatayet chante, and Le Kitching.

Dejeneffe retired from his career in 2017 at the age of 67. He died on August 7, 2026, at the age of 77 in the Saint-Étienne region of France. Fellow Belgian entertainers and television personalities paid tribute to him on social media, remembering him as a talented, generous, and kind artist who brought smiles and happy memories to multiple generations.