Thomas Gottschalk is "out of juice"
Shortly before presenting his last edition of "Wetten, dass...?", Thomas Gottschalk looks back on the past. And he explains why this time it really is the end of the show for him forever: "My business has simply finished."
On Saturday, the time has finally come: Thomas Gottschalk will host "Wetten, dass...?" for the very last time. In an interview with the "Bild" newspaper, the entertainer talks in advance about his departure from the show after 36 years - with two interruptions.
Even though he has returned twice after his previous resignations, he is certain that there really won't be another comeback. However, Gottschalk admits: "I was sure each time." This was already the case with his first exit in 1992. "Back then, I had started with a late-night show on RTL." But then the then director of ZDF brought him back.
The 73-year-old says that his second retirement was also a clear-cut matter. "After Samuel Koch's accident, the moment really came when I was convinced: that was it," he explains. Koch had a serious accident as a contestant during a show at the end of 2010 and has been paralyzed in a wheelchair ever since. This prompted Gottschalk to resign from "Wetten, dass...?" a year later.
"The darkest hour"
Gottschalk revealed in an interview with Bild that he had definitely considered inviting Koch to his last show. However, he himself had reservations: "His fate was certainly the darkest hour of my TV career. Of course, we want to say goodbye as the happy event that we always were and wanted to be." Koch will not be part of the show on Saturday evening.
Gottschalk justifies his second retirement with the audience, who convinced him "that there is still juice in the lemon". So he stepped back into the ring. "But now the juice is finally out," Gottschalk asserts.
Television has changed completely, the presenter notes. "The cuddliness is gone. The Saturday evening in front of the TV, where the whole family got together, no longer exists. Everyone goes their own way, has their own programs or makes their own," says Gottschalk. You can't stop this development, and he doesn't want to.
"Never wanted to swap places with anyone"
"My area of business has simply finished," says Gottschalk, explaining that he feels no bitterness. Nor does he see himself as a victim. "I had a great time and would do everything the same again." He has no reason to complain, after all, he was able to help shape television at its best.
"Everything comes to an end at some point. Pop music has changed, cinema is different today," explains the entertainer. It's part of his business that stars rise and fall: "I've seen a few come and go. And I never wanted to swap places with one."
Gottschalk assures us that he was not nervous before his last "Wetten, dass...?" show. "If I had ever been nervous, there would be no reason to be this time. They can't kick me out anymore!" There probably won't be a party after the show, says Gottschalk and jokes about the reason: "ZDF is currently on a cost-cutting course. I think the last mega party was when Inge Meysel was a guest." That would have been quite a long time ago - Meysel died in 2004.
- Despite his reservations, Thomas Gottschalk initially considered inviting Samuel Koch, who had a serious accident during a show, to his final edition of "Wetten, dass...?" on ZDF.
- Reflecting on his career, Gottschalk acknowledges that television has greatly changed in recent years, noting the absence of the family-friendly Saturday evening gatherings around the TV that used to be popular.
- When asked about his feelings towards his retirement, Gottschalk maintains a positive outlook, stating that he had a great time in the industry and feels no sense of bitterness or regret about his departure, as he had the opportunity to contribute significantly to German television.
Source: www.ntv.de
