As Tom and Bill Kaulitz prepare to step into the iconic ZDF host chairs for a special one-off broadcast of Wetten, dass..? on December 5, 2026, television veteran Thomas Gottschalk has made his viewing plans crystal clear: he will not be watching.
Nearly three years after his own final bow on the legendary Saturday-night entertainment format in November 2023—which drew a staggering 12.9 million viewers—Gottschalk has opted out of tuning in for the Tokio Hotel twins’ guest-hosting stint. According to an interview with the Abendzeitung given by his wife, Karina Mroß, the couple confirmed their absence from the television screen that evening: “No, we are not watching it. We are not at home, but out with friends.”
Gottschalk Out of Town While Twins Take the Stage
The upcoming December 5, 2026 broadcast marks a significant departure for the historic ZDF franchise. While the network has announced further plans for the brand, the immediate future rests in the hands of the pop-culture sibling duo. Gottschalk himself, currently recovering from the effects of a cancer diagnosis at his new residence in the west of Munich, has remained non-committal about the show’s prospects under new management. “The fate of Wetten, dass..? lies in the hands of the audience,” the 76-year-old entertainer noted.
Skepticism from the former host is hardly unexpected. Back in November 2023, while initial rumors circulated regarding the Tokio Hotel stars potentially taking over the format, Gottschalk dismissed the early reports as “a kind of duck” during an episode of his podcast Die Supernasen, recorded alongside Mike Krüger. At the time, he explicitly stated that the network was not holding discussions with either brother, nor with Heidi Klum, whom he jokingly referenced as being “more or less legally responsible” for the duo. He added bluntly: “I don’t think it would be the right decision to continue Wetten, dass..? with the two of them.”
Looking Ahead to December 2026
With Tom and Bill Kaulitz slated to helm the single-edition revival in December 2026, industry watchers and long-time viewers are left wondering how the modern internet-era creators will manage television’s most traditional live monster. ZDF has yet to clarify whether the experiment will lead to a permanent series revival or remain a standalone stunt.
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Show | Wetten, dass..? |
| Upcoming Broadcast Date | December 5, 2026 |
| Guest Hosts | Tom and Bill Kaulitz |
| Broadcaster | ZDF |
| Thomas Gottschalk’s Final Show | November 2023 (12.9 million viewers) |
For now, the man who shaped the German television landscape for decades remains entirely detached from the production. Whether the audience embraces the shift on December 5 remains to be seen.
