Farewell under pain Gottschalk appears for his last big TV evening
Thomas Gottschalk shaped German television for decades. (archive picture)
Image: sda
An era is irrevocably coming to an end: the TV legend will be seen one last time with Günther Jauch and Barbara Schöneberger in the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert".
Image: RTL+
Following discussions about his recent appearances, Thomas Gottschalk made his cancer public. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Thomas Gottschalk wants to say goodbye to TV on RTL on Saturday. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Together with his wife Karina, they spoke about the serious illness in an interview. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Gottschalk had recently caused irritation during appearances - for example at the Bambi Awards with Cher. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Thomas Gottschalk back then at his "Wetten, dass...?" premiere. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Thomas Gottschalk shaped German television for decades. (archive picture)
Image: sda
An era is irrevocably coming to an end: the TV legend will be seen one last time with Günther Jauch and Barbara Schöneberger in the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert".
Image: RTL+
Following discussions about his recent appearances, Thomas Gottschalk made his cancer public. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Thomas Gottschalk wants to say goodbye to TV on RTL on Saturday. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Together with his wife Karina, they spoke about the serious illness in an interview. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Gottschalk had recently caused irritation during appearances - for example at the Bambi Awards with Cher. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
Thomas Gottschalk back then at his "Wetten, dass...?" premiere. (archive picture)
Image: dpa
It should be an entertaining Saturday evening show and at the same time the end of a unique TV career: Thomas Gottschalk, who is suffering from cancer, says goodbye to the big stage on RTL.
05.12.2025, 21:09
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- After decades as a show host, talk show host and actor, Thomas Gottschalk, who is suffering from cancer, is saying goodbye to the big TV stage.
- On Saturday, Gottschalk will make his last TV appearance for the time being in the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert".
- Despite his serious illness, the former "Wetten, dass" show host would like to appear once again with his long-time companions on this evening.
It had been known for some time that Thomas Gottschalk would retire from TV. Shortly before his 75th birthday in May, he said that the time had come "where you should say you're taking yourself out". Next Saturday (December 6) is the day. Once again in the spotlight. Gottschalk will say goodbye with the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert". An appearance in the shadow of his cancer.
"Looking after Saturday evening for 35 years"
Until a few days ago, the entertainer had kept his illness a secret, even when he was already appearing ailing and unfocused in public appearances, flummoxed and had to put up with malice. The audience was not familiar with moments of weakness from the entertainment professional , such as at the Bambi Gala in Munich.
"I've been in charge of Saturday nights for 35 years and had them under control," Gottschalk summed up in May. That's how it was, that's how the audience knew him. Canceling appearances now was out of the question for him, Gottschalk told "Bild". He wanted to fulfill his contracts. In the meantime, however, he had realized: "I can no longer perform. I have to get well."
Actor Christoph Maria Herbst said that Gottschalk just wanted to be there for his audience, that was very old school, and he took his hat off to that. "He's just an old circus horse."
Thanks to the audience
Gottschalk emphasized that the audience is close to his heart at the Romy award ceremony for his life's work last Friday in Kitzbühel: "You always think that the older you get, the less grateful you are when it comes to awards like this," he said. "But you know that behind all these awards lies what has meant the most to you - namely the audience. And I have to thank the audience for staying loyal to me for so long."
However, the former darling of the TV nation no longer managed to win hearts as easily as he used to. Gottschalk offended with his statements. Be it in his now defunct "Supernasen" podcast with Mike Krüger or in interviews. The presenter, on the other hand, often felt misunderstood recently and complained about it publicly.
The flippancy that was once considered to be his great strength was to some extent his undoing. At the Romy Awards, Gottschalk once again said that he had often not really thought about what he was saying during his career.
Old-school entertainer
Around 50 years in show business lie behind him. Even though he always emphasized his love of radio, it was television that catapulted Gottschalk into the A-league of show hosts. On Bayerischer Rundfunk, he showed off his talent as a presenter and his flair for situation comedy and quick wit. With "Wetten, dass...?" on ZDF, he managed to gather millions of people in front of their television sets - and became a television icon.
However, not every show he hosted was a ratings hit. With his late-night show on RTL, he was still setting standards in the mid-1990s, while formats such as "Gottschalk's House Party" on Sat.1 or the early-evening talk show on TV channel Erste have largely been forgotten. With his buddy Günther Jauch and presenter Barbara Schöneberger, he has been fooling around with the show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert" on RTL on Saturday evenings in recent years.
A "Wetten, dass...?" revival in 2021 then briefly sent the TV nation into a frenzy. For one evening, almost 14.5 million people immersed themselves in the era of the "TV bonfire of the nation", a time when Gottschalk stirred up television with his style, was considered modern and cheeky - and which today makes him the last great old-school entertainer.
