"I do not think that we should take Grichka as a banner for or against vaccination," said his lawyer, Me Edouard de Lamaze, on BFM-TV on Tuesday evening, confirming press reports according to which his client, not vaccinated , was hospitalized in intensive care in Paris.

"Surrounded by the love of his family and his relatives, Grichka Bogdanoff died peacefully (...) to join his stars," his family had only written in a press release, without mentioning the causes of death.

Le Monde had revealed that Grichka had died of the Covid and that her twin brother Igor was hospitalized for the same reasons.

The announcement of this death sparked emotional reactions from television personalities and ... mockery on social networks.

"I have just learned of the disappearance of Grichka, I am really very affected", reacted on Twitter the host Cyril Hanouna who received them regularly on his set.

"I will miss him a lot. He was a boy of incredible intelligence and self-deprecating respect. I have crazy memories with him. I think very much of Igor and his family. Very sad." .

The Grichka brothers and Igor Bogdanoff on May 24, 2013 at the Cannes film festival Valery HACHE AFP / Archives

"Very saddened by the death of my friend Grichka Bogdanoff. My best thoughts go of course to Igor," journalist Eric Naulleau said on Twitter.

Made famous in the 1980s by their sci-fi show "Temps X" on TF1, where they evolved in a spaceship setting with futuristic suits, Igor and Grichka had become the object of mockery for their deeply transformed faces. 'they had called themselves "extraterrestrials".

Their scientific works had also caused their share of controversy and had earned them the wrath of part of the scientific community, criticizing the "low value" of their work.

"Definitely presumed innocent"

They had been accused of plagiarism by the American astrophysicist Trinh Xuan Thuan for one of their most famous publications, "Dieu et la science", interview with the philosopher Jean Guitton (1991).

In 2010, the weekly Marianne published extracts from a CNRS report according to which the theses, and other articles of the two brothers, had "no scientific value".

In 2012, 170 scientists claimed their "right to blame" after the conviction of a CNRS researcher criticizing the writings of the twins.

Marianne will be condemned for defamation in 2014 but, shortly after, the brothers will however be dismissed of an action brought before the administrative tribunal of Paris against the CNRS.

Much mystery surrounds the biographies of the twins who have encountered numerous legal troubles.

Recently, they marred their plan to cover their cult show "Temps X" with the Canal group.

The two brothers had been sent back in January to correctional for "swindle".

The trial was scheduled to take place on January 20, 21 and 27, 2022.

"This procedure is therefore extinguished" for Grichka Bogdanoff, declared in a press release about Grichka Bogdanoff the lawyers of the two brothers, Me Edouard de Lamaze and Eric Morain.

"He will definitely remain presumed innocent," they added.

They were accused of having defrauded a millionaire suffering from bipolar disorder to settle their financial woes and relaunch the show.

Despite the controversies, Grichka and Igor Bogdanoff have preserved notoriety.

In recent years, they have been recurring guests on Cyril Hanouna's program, “Touche pas à mon poste!”.

Single, Grichka Bogdanoff had no children.

© 2021 AFP