Frank Elstner: Wetten, dass ..? - A review full of regrets!

Frank Elstner: Wetten, dass ..? - A review full of regrets!

Uelzen, Deutschland - Frank Elstner, the legendary inventor and first moderator of "Wetten, dass ..?", Look back with mixed feelings for his recent past. Today, at the age of 83, he is in an exciting but also challenging phase of life. In a current interview, he says that the sale of the rights to his success show was his greatest career error. These rights belong to ZDF today, which means that Elstner does not have a say in possible new editions or changes to the show. According to Az-Online he is convinced that the show was one of the most successful in Europe Has lost changes in uniqueness.

The origins of "Wetten, dass ..?", which was launched in 1981, are at a time when German television was still in its infancy. Elstner moderated the show until 1987 before Thomas Gottschalk took over the scepter. In the NDR report "70 years of Saturday evening show", Elstner revealed that he felt his farewell as a "mistake" and even expressed that the decreasing desire for the moderation brought him to this decision, as the tz reported.

A look back at the legendary moderators

The moderation of "Wetten, dass ..?" has had many faces over the years. Here is an overview of the moderators:

• 1981 - 1987: Frank Elstner
• 1987 - 1992: Thomas Gottschalk
• 1992 - 1993: Wolfgang Lippert
• 1994 - 2011: Thomas Gottschalk
• 2012 - 2014: Markus Lanz
• 2021 - 2023: Thomas Gottschalk

The collaboration with Gottschalk was not always without controversy. Thomas was surprised at Elstner's decision to give up the show, and Elstner himself is concerned about the reactions of the audience on the performance of his successors, especially Markus Lanz, who had to take harsh criticism in public.

health challenges and professional plans

apart from the show business, Elstner also has to fight with personal challenges. Since 2019 he has been suffering from Parkinson's what could force him to shorten it professionally. "I train four times a week with a personal trainer," he explains while he is trying to stay fit, also for his five children from different relationships. After a recent emergency operation, he is happy to have survived and looks into the future with a certain serenity.

Elstner endeavors, the legacy of his creation for "Wetten, dass ..?" To secure and hope that the talents in Germany are strong enough to deal with the challenges that television brings with it in modern times. But it is skeptical: "The ability to deal with criticism does not seem to be given to me in many talents."

With over four decades on television, Elstner not only witnessed the development of his own show, but also the change in the entire media landscape. The commercialization of television and the competition through new formats present the tradition of the Saturday evening program with new challenges, as well as the consideration of the show history of Planet-Wissen Show.

at a time when the memory of the glorious times of "Wetten, dass ..?" is often nostalgically transfigured, Frank Elstner remains a symbol of creative thinking and the tireless spirit of entertainment. His views on the future of the show branch give the occasion to think and invite you to discuss.