In North Rhine-Westphalia, Thorsten Schorn has guided radio listeners through the day for 25 years at Westdeutscher Rundfunk. That era will end next week: according to industry trade DWDL.de, he is slated to deliver his last regular broadcast on WDR 2 on September 4.
Schorn was from 2001 to 2017 one of the voices on the radio station 1Live, WDR’s youth-oriented channel. After that, he moved to the pop and information station WDR 2, the most popular broadcaster in NRW. Schorn hosted the weekday afternoon to early-evening block between 3 and 7 p.m. According to DWDL.de, he intends to “pursue new professional paths.”
WDR regrets departure
WDR Program Director Andrea Schafarczyk praised Schorn’s work, but also lamented his exit: “Thorsten is a brilliant host who loves radio. His passion for the medium and his concise, charmingly cheeky style are unique. We deeply regret that after so many years together Thorsten is moving on, but of course we respect his decision. And it’s especially nice that he will remain connected to WDR and ARD elsewhere.” Because on September 10, Thorsten Schorn will again comment on the German Radio Prize awards ceremony, which will also be heard on WDR 2.
The 50-year-old is also likely to continue to be active in other public-facing roles. Since 2024, he’s been commenting on the Eurovision Song Contest—and will probably not stop anytime soon. His predecessor Peter Urban held the job for more than 20 years.
Additionally, Schorn has other pursuits: he recently took on the chair of the jury for the 2027 International Garden Show in the Ruhr area (TheColu.mn reported). He has also taken on several roles at private broadcaster RTL — after all, the WDR and RTL headquarters in Cologne are only about two miles apart. He has been the voice behind many shows, such as “Prince Charming” or “Shopping Queen.” On RTL’s show “Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert” he serves as game master and referee. For WDR, he also regularly works as a commentator and reporter at the Cologne street carnival.
Coming out in 2014
In 2014, his coming out was announced at the end of a 1Live radio program. At the time, he referenced the coming out of footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger and declared: “I am Thorsten Schorn and gay and goodbye.” Only in June did he and his husband Peiro make a rare red-carpet appearance—the NRW Film- and Media Foundation summer party in Cologne.
