Mysterious death of Leoš Mareš's assistant: Kateřina Niklová worked her way up from a saleswoman in a boutique
The death of Kateřina Niklová, the longtime assistant of Leoš Mareš, has affected her family, friends, and colleagues who worked with her for years. Outsiders mainly perceived her as an inconspicuous yet important woman from the team of one of our most famous presenters. However, her professional career began in a completely different place.
Years ago, she worked in a fashion boutique where she was noticed by people from the lifestyle magazine LP-Life. Later, she collaborated with our magazine and did a beautiful campaign for us in 2018. "She was cheerful, willing, and could win over people around her. When we learned the sad news now, our early days together immediately came to mind. It is unbelievable how far she has come since then," said Elena Jakubovič, founder of Y&T Luxury Property Prague.
Reliable Person in the Background
Later, Niklová began collaborating with the host Leoš Mareš, beside whom she spent many years, although she stayed out of the spotlight for a long time. The public began to notice her more last year when she and the host were accused by tabloids of an alleged affair. Mareš immediately refuted this, labeling such claims as false and unfounded. "I have an absolutely standard relationship with my assistant. She is a woman, and I am a man. We work together, and I believe it's permissible to work in a mixed group," he told all the skeptics at the time.
Her death was first reported by Blesk daily. According to the family's statement, it was a sudden health failure. On Saturday afternoon, she was found dead in her apartment in Prague's Řepy. "On Saturday afternoon, police officers along with firefighters intervened in one of the Prague apartments on Jiránkova Street. After entering the apartment, they found a human body with no signs of life. Foul play was ruled out, and an autopsy was subsequently ordered," quoted CNN Prima News the words of the police. On social media, many reactions quickly appeared, with people most often mentioning her humanity, approachability, and positive outlook.
She Knew How to Enjoy Life
In an interview for the LP-Life website, Niklová once spoke about so-called shop therapy. She said that shopping for clothes is not just about fashion and trends, but for many women, it also serves as a way to lift their spirits, take a break from worries, and make time for themselves.
An interview from the time when her professional career was just beginning shows that she always knew how to enjoy life and took the best from what it offered. That she and Mareš were close as colleagues is now beyond doubt. Moreover, the host decided to fulfill her last wish after her death and returned to Instagram. He had disappeared without a word two years ago, when a wave of criticism came his way following the unsuccessful Jesus Christ Superstar concert at Prague's O2 arena.
“So he granted her wish,” wrote Nikola Hezucká to a family video, which also featured Monika Marešová with daughter Alex. “Yes. Today, Katka's mom called me to ask if she could have one last wish. ‘Come back to Instagram.’ Katka talked about it apparently every day,” Mareš commented. And so he did. Whether this means that his fans will once again get an insight into the private life of the Mareš family, time will tell. For the successful presenter, this marks the second painful loss in a few months. At the end of last year, his long-time collaborator Patrik Hezucký passed away.
