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In a good mood despite the early departure: the hot Jens Riwa in "The Masked Singer"
Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd / picture alliance / dpa
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is Chili speaking: »Tagesschau« head spokesman Jens Riewa was the first celebrity to be exposed on the music show »The Masked Singer«.
The 58-year-old was in the costume of a huge chili pepper.
Since he received too few audience votes at the beginning of the new season of the ProSieben show, he had to take off his fiery mask, which also included two crazy googly eyes. The newscaster, whom you only know very correctly dressed, was happy nonetheless. "That's the secret of this show: just let the little pig out," said Riewa. "Or the hot chili."
That the native Brandenburg was under the colorful costume was a little surprise.
Musician Rea Garvey on the advice team dropped the name briefly after the chilli performance with the song "Can You Feel It?" By the Weather Girls, but did not pursue the idea any further.
In the end, he guessed comedian Michael Mittermeier.
His colleague Ruth Moschner believed she recognized a French accent.
But then she guessed the German TV chef Horst Lichter, which was also wrong.
In "The Masked Singer" celebrities appear as singers, but hide their true identity behind elaborate costumes.
The stars are exposed as soon as they don't get enough votes or win at the very end.
Now the fifth season of the ProSieben show has started - for the first time it will run on a Saturday.
Riewa had meticulously prepared the performances and, according to her own account, practiced 16 songs.
In America he ordered a soundproof booth for $ 1200 so that he could sing undisturbed - and otherwise he made use of many possibilities.
"I used all the night shifts on the 'Tagesschau' to sing in storage rooms or anywhere else where no one ever comes," reported Riewa.
Admittedly: it was of no use.
In the final vote, he lost to a teased skunk, a hammerhead shark and a frail teddy bear.
In the staff of the ARD news program, the wealth of experience in undercover participation in the ProSieben show is growing again with him.
Last season, »Tagesschau« spokeswoman Judith Rakers took part in a fluffy chick costume.
kae / dpa