At the end of November, Thomas Gottschalk finally said goodbye to “his” betting that…? As a presenter, he led the German show giant for 30 years with short interruptions. ZDF wants to know whether the Saturday evening giant will return without Gottschalk “at a given time” decide.
If so, that would mean: A new moderator is needed. But who? Between 2012 and 2014, Markus Lanz showed how easily a successor can ignore this challenge. The moderator, who has other strengths, lacked relaxedness, charm and humor. His first opening monologue is legendary – legendarily unpleasant.
3 moderators who can inherit Thomas Gottschalk
What does Thomas Gottschalk’s successor need? Markus Lanz was the opposite of Thomas Gottschalk and therefore not suitable for the show. But we’re not looking for a Gottschalk clone either. The candidates must be able to put their own stamp on the show. For this you need experience, format and personality. At the same time, they should be modern and unite many target groups – the jack of all trades.
If we apply these filters to the German TV field, the selection becomes quite thin. Nevertheless, we have found 3 favorites who we trust to carry out the difficult task. If you want to know directly who we are completely unsuitable look at it, then scroll down.
Wetten Dass candidate 1: Barbara Schöneberger – the obvious choice
RTL / Stefan Gregorowius
Barbara Schöneberger in Because They Don’t Know What’s Happening
credentials: Because they don’t know what’s happening, Do you understand fun?, the ESC supporting program
Strengthen: Barbara Schöneberger is, alongside Thomas Gottschalk, probably the most high-profile presenter in the country. It’s not without reason that her name is the first thing that comes to mind when questions about succession of any kind arise. Schöneberger has a thick skin and can dish it out well himself. Her boldness coupled with self-irony is sometimes reminiscent of a young Gottschalk. Still, bet that…? different under her supervision: faster and bolder. Nobody should feel safe on the sofa, and not just the knees of female guests. But we probably wouldn’t have to do without the usual Gottschalk shit storms with Barbara Schöneberger.
Bet That Potential: 80 percent
Betting That Candidate 2:
Joko Winterscheidt – yes, without Klaas!
Pro8
Joko Winterscheidt
credentials: Circus Halligalli, Who will steal the show?, Joko & Klaas against ProSieben
Strengthen: Joko AND Klaas together fill all the lists for Gottschalk’s successor, and the formerly inseparable duo shows that they are much more valuable for the television landscape separately. Winterscheidt moderates Who is stealing the show from me? the most dynamic format on German TV at the moment: in every edition, Winterscheidt fights to moderate the next episode. The original concept and categories are important for the success of the show. But she lives from the exuberant, feel-good atmosphere – and that’s what her main presenter provides.
Winterscheidt manages to transform a huge studio hall into a safe space: for the celebrity guests who have a lot to lose. For the normal guests for whom this is all new. And for the audience at home, onto whom the relaxed atmosphere spills over. Just imagine betting that…? with these vibes before…
Bet That Potential: 85 percent
Wetten Dass candidate 3: Anke Engelke – the dream scenario
RTL
Anke Engelke on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
credentials: Eurovision Song Contest 2011, Who will steal the show?
Strengthen: Anke Engelke is more of a part-time presenter, but as soon as she steps onto a stage, she takes it over. That was the case when moderating the ESC 2011 (with Stefan Raab and Judith Rakers), which many people are still raving about today. And that happened again last year with Who’s Stealing the Show? Engelke took a copy from Winterscheidt – and promptly thrilled the audience.
Hardly any other German TV and film personality combines sovereignty, speed, charisma, comedy and star power as energetically as Anke Engelke. Your commitment to what is still the largest show stage Germany has to offer would be a coup. The only question is: Would Engelke take on such a show legacy again after the failed takeover of Harald Schmidt’s late-night show? Maybe she’ll only do it once: but that would be the best edition of Wetten Dass of all time.
Bet That Potential: 90 percent
Absolutely not a betting-that candidate: Florian Silbereisen – the horror scenario
ARD
Florian Silbereisen
Florian Silbereisen certainly has his fans and his right to exist in the pop world. However, anyone who positions him as Gottschalk’s successor or even just includes him in candidate lists doesn’t care much about the continued existence of the show dinosaur. Silbereisen as a moderator would be tantamount to winding down the format. His pastoral style may fit the pop boom. But even to this genre of show it gives neither flow nor form, let alone momentum. In the moderator spectrum, Silbereisen is, at best, a content manager. But showmasters have to have the courage to set the stage every now and then. Silbereisen has not been able to prove that he is capable of doing this during his forays into private television.
He would be Markus Lanz to the power of 10: even more stubborn, even more son-in-law. And Florian Silbereisen’s influence on the public TV landscape is already big enough. Then rather Giovanni Zarella.
Bet That Potential: 0 percent
It remains to be seen how realistic our pre-selection is. ZDF still has to confirm that it will continue with the show. And the broadcaster will have learned from the Markus Lanz failure and will think carefully about its decision – at least we hope so.