Overview
- Joko Winterscheidt says he and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf met ZDF executives for a confidential dinner about hosting the show roughly 15 years ago after Thomas Gottschalk first stepped down.
- He recounts the talks fizzled because they were considered too young and their concept too wild for the broadcaster at the time.
- A ZDF spokesperson confirms conversations with multiple candidates from that period but refuses to discuss content or decisions.
- The broadcaster announced in January that Bill and Tom Kaulitz will host the relaunch, with a live edition scheduled for December 5, 2026 from Halle (Saale).
- Winterscheidt says he congratulated the Kaulitz brothers and called the choice good, joking that they should please not mess it up.