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ZDF
Trends
- 1
Viewers in Germany are following the latest season of the ZDF mountain rescue drama Die Bergretter, with coverage of new episodes in season 17, including the installment titled 'Marterl'. Actress Josephin Busch has also spoken about what awaits her character Nina and Markus in the already confirmed 18th season, keeping fans engaged with the show's storylines.
- 2
German actress Luise Bähr is leaving the long-running ZDF series Die Bergretter, marking her departure with a final helicopter flight over the Dachstein massif, where the show is filmed. The farewell, covered by ZDFheute, has drawn attention from fans of the alpine drama who have followed her character over multiple seasons. Her exit marks a notable cast change for one of German television's popular mountain series.
- 3
Austrian actress Barbara Wussow is at the centre of concern among ZDF viewers, amid reports she may exit the long-running series 'Das Traumschiff'. Fans are worried about her departure from the popular cruise drama, though neither the actress nor the broadcaster has confirmed whether she will actually step away from the show.
- 4
Bill and Tom Kaulitz are set to host a comeback edition of the German TV classic Wetten, dass..? on ZDF, with tickets now on sale for their premiere. The twins have publicly mocked Thomas Gottschalk, saying his cancellation of the show was agreed months in advance. German media are covering both the ticket sales and the brothers' jabs at their predecessor.
- 5
German viewers are searching current TV programming, with several shows generating buzz. On Sat.1's cooking show "The Taste", a coach was reportedly shocked after a garlic accident, asking for a Cola to neutralise the taste. ZDF is airing "Tierische Überlebenskünstler: Wasserprofis", about aquatic animal survival. Meanwhile, fans are asking where Joko Winterscheidt and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf will film their latest quiz, with location details promised soon on Joyn.
- 6
German actress Ulrike Kriener is drawing attention after the airing of the television film 'Nichts wie weg', broadcast as part of the 'Fernsehfilm der Woche' slot on ZDF. German and Austrian entertainment outlets reviewed the production, praising its humorous take. The 2000+ engagement reflects interest from viewers of the weekly TV movie format.
- 7
ZDF talk host Markus Lanz is in the news across Germany for a run of high-profile episodes. Berlin's SPD co-leader Steffen Krach came under pressure on the show, with a remark suggesting the coalition could collapse. Other guests included Lower Saxony politician Olaf Lies on VW scrapping collective wage agreements, and Karin Prien, who spoke of a growing normalization of antisemitism. German media are also listing upcoming guest line-ups.
- 8
Viewers in Germany are checking what is on television today, with listings pointing to ZDF's 5pm 'heute' bulletin and highlighted evening programmes across major channels. Coverage includes SZ's critical take on ARD's broadcast of the 2026 US midterm elections, calling it embarrassing, alongside aggregated film and TV highlight recommendations for late October evenings.
- 9
German television anchor Marietta Slomka, long-time presenter of the ZDF news programme heute journal, is in the spotlight after comedian Harald Schmidt joked about her, prompting the Schwäbische Zeitung headline 'Danke Heinz!'. Slomka remains one of Germany's best-known journalists, and her profile is being revisited alongside coverage of her colleagues at the news desk.
- 10
German viewers are reacting after ZDF stopped airing new episodes of its popular midday cooking show 'Küchenschlacht'. The broadcaster has confirmed no fresh installments are currently being shown and has publicly commented on the situation, according to FOCUS Online. Fans of the long-running format, in which amateur chefs compete daily, are asking why the hiatus and when regular programming will return.
- 11
German actress Marisa Burger is leaving the long-running ZDF crime series 'Die Rosenheim-Cops', where she has played prosecutor Miriam Stöckl for two decades. BUNTE reports on how her departure is being written into the show and what it means for the series' future. Fans are discussing the end of an era for one of the show's best-known faces.
- 12
Germany's public broadcaster ZDF is in the news from multiple angles. Comedian Oliver Pocher has publicly dismissed ARD and ZDF as outdated and unnecessary, while former footballer Per Mertesacker is preparing his final appearance as a ZDF pundit. The broadcaster is also reportedly rethinking its streaming strategy, with insiders saying 'everything will be reshuffled'.
- 13
The ZDF cooking show Küchenschlacht has been dropped from today's programme, with the Stuttgarter Zeitung reporting the decision was made because of Friedrich Merz. The slot is being cleared, presumably for coverage involving the Chancellor, leaving fans of the popular midday show surprised and prompting searches about what is airing instead.
- 14
Claus von Wagner, the satirist best known as a regular on the ZDF political cabaret show Die Anstalt, is performing at the Sudhaus in Tübingen. His programme covers topics from everyday absurdities to bureaucratic concepts like the so-called Verschonungsbedarfsprüfung, a German inheritance and asset rule. Audiences in the region are discussing the show and his mix of political satire and social commentary.
- 15
German food journalist and author Sebastian Lege continued working on his ZDF programmes while undergoing cancer treatment, according to a report circulating in German media. The news has drawn attention and sympathy from audiences familiar with his television work, with many praising his dedication to keep filming through a serious illness.
- 16
The long-running German crime show 'Aktenzeichen XY... ungelöst' is drawing attention with a new episode on ZDF. Investigators are appealing for witnesses in an unsolved death in Glücksburg, and the programme is also seeking tips on the murder of a Bierkönig employee in Mallorca. The show's civil courage award went to people in Augsburg who responded to cries for help at night, and moderator Rudi Cerne discussed the ethics of the show's dramaturgy.
- 17
German comedian Chris Tall is launching a new show featuring longtime ZDF presenter Andrea Kiewel, with the premiere set for this autumn. The announcement has left many viewers baffled, with reactions summed up by the question 'What the hell?' as people try to work out what the pairing and format will actually involve.
- 18
The ZDF mountain rescue series Die Bergretter is launching a new season, and the broadcaster confirms that a lead actor is leaving the show after twelve years. Coverage is focusing on who is departing and how the series will replace them, with Lisa Junick drawing search interest in connection with the casting changes.
- 19
Boris Becker is drawing attention in Germany across several unrelated stories. He is enjoying a holiday with his wife and son, while also criticising a ZDF commentator during Jürgen Klopp's win, saying the announcer 'sings too much'. Separately, a dealer from the show 'Bares für Rares' spoke about an expensive Becker deal, and tennis coverage around Alexander Zverev keeps the former champion in the conversation.
- 20
German presenter Dunja Hayali is making headlines on two fronts. Together with ZDF colleague Sarah Tacke, she has been awarded the Hanns-Joachim-Friedrichs Prize, an important German journalism award. At the same time, Hayali is speaking out against reality television, calling the genre aggressive and saying contestants are constantly shouted at, and has firmly turned down any involvement with it.
- 21
The British crime series Death in Paradise is drawing attention in Germany, where ZDF neo has scheduled multiple broadcasts, including slots on 14 October 2026 and 6 November 2026 at 21:05. The show remains a fixture of the channel's programming. Interest coincides with news that The Madame Blanc Mysteries, a similar cozy mystery series, returns for season 5 on Acorn TV on 9 November.
- 22
German viewers are looking up tonight's episode of the ZDF talk show Markus Lanz, with media outlets publishing previews of the guests and topics under discussion. Recent programmes have included debates on whether eastern Germany still faces discrimination, drawing attention beyond the usual guest announcements. The show remains one of Germany's most-watched political talk formats, and its nightly line-ups routinely generate public debate.
- 23
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has given an interview to German satirist Jan Böhmermann, presented as part of ZDF Magazin Royale. The pairing of a sitting head of state with one of Germany's best-known satirists is unusual, and the broadcast is drawing attention in Germany as viewers discuss what Zelensky's appearance on a comedy-satire programme means.
- 24
Storm Rachel has hit California hard, lashing the US West Coast with severe weather. German public broadcaster ZDF reports on the storm's impact on the state, and the topic is drawing attention among German-speaking audiences following the news coverage.
- 25
Journalist Sarah Tacke has been awarded the Hanns-Joachim-Friedrichs Prize, honoured together with fellow broadcaster Dunja Hayali. The award, named after the noted German journalist, recognises independent and rigorous journalism. The announcement from ZDF's press office has drawn attention to both recipients, with audiences discussing the recognition of the two presenters in German media.
- 26
The German public channel ZDF is broadcasting the Berlin-set crime series 'Jenseits der Spree', with an episode scheduled for 16 October 2026 at 20:15. Reports note the broadcaster is changing a popular crime slot out of a sad occasion, and viewers are discussing what the shake-up means for the Friday and Saturday evening schedule.
- 27
Austrian actor Hans Sigl, best known as the lead of the long-running ZDF series 'Der Bergdoktor', has spoken publicly about his life as a father. He described himself as 'grandiose' in his world as a dad, remarks now circulating in German-language media and drawing attention from fans of the popular mountain drama.
- 28
The long-running ZDF crime series SOKO Leipzig is restarting, and coverage focuses on criticism of the new beginning without Jan Maybach, a character associated with the show. German media are debating the casting change and what it means for the series' future direction.