The last year was mixed for Thomas Gottschalk. The TV legend did bring his book Unfiltered onto the market, but his promotion was met with a lot of criticism – especially his Spiegel interview. His joint podcast with Mike Krüger was also discontinued at the end of last year. Now the ZDF director has spoken out about the future of Gottschalk on the station’s most popular show: Wetten, dass…?.
“Never say never”: ZDF boss believes in the future of betting that…?
In an interview with the Allgemeine Zeitung, ZDF director Norbert Himmler spoke about the future of Wetten, das…? and a possible collaboration with Thomas Gottschalk. At the beginning of the year, ZDF announced that there is no betting this year…? will give. However, Himmler does not rule out that the show will come back in the future. Says the director:
I already said back then: Never say never. And that also applies today!
After the last episode on November 23, 2023, Wetten, das…? come to an end for the time being. But Himmler doesn’t want to rule that out for the time being. “There is still something in the format“, says the ZDF director in an interview.
Bet that..? without Gottschalk: ZDF director rules out further collaboration
But the most important question for Himmler is still open: Who should bet that…? moderate? “We have now said goodbye to Thomas Gottschalk”says the ZDF director and This rules out a comeback for the TV entertainer. The popular show could also work without Gottschalk.
“There aren’t many who would shout ‘here’ out loud”says Himmler with a view to Gottschalk’s possible successor. Out of respect for the format, we will take our time and not bet on that… this year. set. Himmler learned a lot, especially from the criticism of Markus Lanz’s moderation. “I buried it because it was a difficult phase”he says in an interview.
Bet that..? and Gottschalk: A legendary TV story
Thomas Gottschalk was the figurehead of Wetten, that…?. He wasn’t the first presenter of the show, but he shaped the format with his cheeky manner. Apart from a short phase from 1992 to 1993 Thomas Gottschalk has moderated Wetten, das…? since 1987.
In 2010 Samuel Koch had a serious accident, whereupon Gottschalk resigned as TV presenter a year later.
However, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary, Thomas Gottschalk returned in 2021 and moderated individual editions until 2023. End In 2023, however, Gottschalk said goodbye for good from Betting that…?.