Bet that … memories will wake up tonight?
On family TV evenings, chips, gummy bears, good mood.
Today at 8:15 p.m., Thomas Gottschalk (71) in a golden tailor-made suit (which he had specially tailored for him) descends the show stairs in the exhibition hall, spreads his arms, beams and enjoys the thundering applause.
The anniversary show for the 40th birthday of the ZDF cult show “Wetten, dass ..?” (ZDF) is coming up.
The entertainer to BILD: “I have no stage fright, never had it. Otherwise I would have chosen the wrong profession. “
But he also admits: “There are high expectations. I am sure we will be able to meet them. I love my job and the people I do it for. “
For 23 years (until December 2011) he hosted the cult show. Even the “one-time comeback today” will “not adapt to the zeitgeist, but be the best retro entertainment,” promises Gottschalk. “Udo Lindenberg (75) is coming. I look young next to him. “
The moderators of the mega-show (215 episodes, up to 25 million viewers, from left): Frank Elstner (79/39 shows), Thomas Gottschalk (71/151), Wolfgang Lippert (69/9) and Markus Lanz (52 / 15)Photo: Wolf Lux
His biggest fan is sitting in the first row: partner Karina Mroß (59). “It motivates me when she’s in the audience. Karina is a beautiful woman. I often think: Well, I was lucky that I got such a steep tooth at my advanced age. “
A week ago the couple was detoxing in Bolzano. “I lost four kilos. So that people don’t concentrate on my stomach, but on Helene Fischer’s. “
The Helene moment
“Wetten, dass ..?” – Fans already know that: Thomas Gottschalk is going to overshoot his airtime again today.
Officially, the show lasts until 11:15 p.m. According to BILD information, the ZDF is expecting (very optimistic) “30 minutes plus X” extension.
How the moderators of the following programs “heute-journal” (Claus Kleber, 66) and “current sports studio” (Jochen Breyer, 38) find it necessary to wait for Thommy, they and ZDF did not want to comment yesterday when asked by BILD.
By the way: The fans don’t have to wait long for Helene Fischer (37). The singer and her 20-person ensemble are supposed to be on stage early on (around 8:40 p.m.).
Helene Fischer with show legend Thomas GottschalkPhoto: Getty Images
The greatest moments
Madonna (63) laid one leg on Gottschalk’s shoulder when performing in Mannheim in 2005. He went down on his knees in front of the pop queenPhoto: dpa / dpaweb
In March 2007, Gottschalk slipped into his evening dress after losing a bet – even if it was a bit tensePhoto: /colourpress.com
1995 Pop King Michael Jackson († 50) almost fell from a crane stage in Duisburg. With a 52% market share (record) and 18 million viewers, the edition was a mega-successPhoto: dpa
Renée Zellweger (52) and Jerry Seinfeld (67) were placed in Graz in 2007 as a bet with Maya the bee and Willi, the beePhoto: BABIRAD PICTURE
2012: Oscar hero Tom Hanks (65) was put on a cat hat after losing his bet. He shook his head after the show in Bremen to BILD: “You Germans do funny television”Photo: ddp
The most bizarre bets
Legendary: In 1988, Bernd Fritz († 71) fooled all of TV Germany. The satirist claimed to recognize the colors of crayons by taste. BUT: He secretly peeked through under his glassesPhoto: TEUTO
When raw forces are at work: in 1989 in Innsbruck, two betting candidates put the needles of a record player on with a wheel loaderPhoto: INTERFOTO
In 2000 a five-piece band squeezed into a phone booth with instruments – and played “I will survive”Photo: ZDF / Carmen Sauerbrei
“Moggi, Moggi” a farmer called his cows in December 2007 (Graz) to recognize them by their smacking noisesPhoto: ddp
The most beautiful outfits
To kneel down: Thomas Gottschalk (then 49) on March 25, 2000 in Duisburg in a kilt creation by Vivienne Westwood (then 59)Photo: dpa
Premiere in September 1987 in Hof: Gottschalk in a bright red short jacket, bloomers, and silver-studded cowboy boots. He to BILD: “The jacket, I can see that today, was a big mistake”Photo: babiradpicture – abp
In January 1988, the show titan came to Basel with traditional trousers from Exatmo, and later changed his outfit to a denim jacketPhoto: ZDF and Renate Schläfer