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Market share of more than 45 percent: Thomas Gottschalk moderates the anniversary program of "Wetten, dass ..?"
Photo: Daniel Karmann / dpa
Isn't it just one time?
On Saturday, ZDF brought »Wetten, dass ..?« Back to the television screen with Thomas Gottschalk.
The re-edition for the 40th anniversary of the show was planned for only one evening.
The great success of the retro show apparently gives those responsible for the program something to think about.
On the day after the broadcast, ZDF program director Norbert Himmler informed the dpa news agency: “We are very happy about the great success of the anniversary edition.
A sequel was never actually planned.
In view of the great response, we will certainly think about it again. "
Ten years after his retirement, moderator Gottschalk had invited them to the famous couch again and, in the old "Wetten, dass ..?" Tradition, gathered stars and betting candidates around him.
The guests included the ABBA men Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, Schlagerqueen Helene Fischer and rocker Udo Lindenberg.
This met with great interest from the audience.
13.8 million people had watched the special edition of the ZDF classic on Saturday evening. The show thus had significantly more viewers than the last "Wetten, dass ..?" Edition on December 13, 2014 - at that time 9.27 million fans followed the show hosted by Markus Lanz (32.5 percent). Gottschalk's "Wetten, dass ..?" Farewell on December 3, 2011 had 14.73 million viewers and a market share of 46.0 percent - similar values to those of the re-edition.
The first "Wetten, dass ..?" Show was broadcast a good 40 years ago in February 1981.
It was moderated by Frank Elstner, the inventor of the format.
Then Gottschalk took over the moderation from 1987 to 2011, before he was finally replaced by Lanz.
Elstner was also present at the special edition on Saturday evening and presented the last bet on the show, in which a man tried in vain to catch five thrown Frisbee discs with the shovel of his excavator.
asc / dpa
