Two months ahead of the relaunch of the ZDF classic “Wetten, dass..?”, host Markus Lanz (57) is expressing confidence in his successors, Bill and Tom Kaulitz. “I’m definitely very much looking forward to it,” Lanz told the German press agency. “I like the two a lot and wish them success. And I believe that approaching it with a completely anarchic vibe is exactly the right move.”
“Wetten, dass..?” ran from 1981 to 2014 and marked a return in 2021 with longtime host Thomas Gottschalk. After three episodes, the 76-year-old said goodbye again — and no episode has aired since then. Earlier this year, ZDF unexpectedly announced that Tokio Hotel’s twin brothers would host the entertainment show on December 5 in Halle (Saale) for a one-off. Starting this Monday, viewers can apply for tickets to the show through ZDF.
“I always felt there was this huge phantom pain across the country over the loss and the farewell of Thomas Gottschalk. We grew up with him. He was different, he was casual, and always a bit overbearing,” said Lanz, who hosted the format from 2012 to 2014.
Gottschalk has faced criticism in recent years for his physical handling of female celebrities on his TV couch, which he himself described as “purely professional.” Lanz added: “This is something that’s discussed today. And what’s interesting is that people forget it wasn’t really okay even back then.”
But he said Gottschalk was loved for other reasons. “He spoke differently. It wasn’t ‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen’; it was more like, ‘Here we are, and now rock ’n’ roll.’ And the Kaulitz brothers are a bit like that too.”
