Overview
- Stefan Mross, who spoke Saturday to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, said he had a great time on the show and vowed to deliver a strong final run with 13 editions.
- The 2026 sendoff starts May 31 with twelve live broadcasts, followed by a closing show on September 6 and a best‑of on September 13.
- Mross declined to discuss any successor project and said he plans to talk about his next steps during the May 31 season opener.
- SWR called the cut a painful choice driven by its finances, noted plans to develop new digital entertainment for younger viewers, and made the move despite recent averages near 1.26 million viewers and a 17% share.
- Fans have launched petitions to keep the program, while Schlager singer Maximilian Arland questioned the cost rationale for ending a format that has run since 1995 with Mross hosting since 2005 from Europa‑Park in Rust.