Overview
- Alexander Duda confirmed Thursday that his time as Polizeidirektor Gert Achtziger, a role he has played since 2006, will end with the current 26th season.
- Duda says the decision was not his and that production and ZDF framed it as a dramaturgical choice tied to the character hitting the in‑series civil‑servant retirement age of 67.
- The production shot a tailor‑made, emotional exit episode that introduces Achtziger’s wife on screen for the first time and left Duda moved on his final day of filming.
- The series is undergoing wider cast turnover, including Marisa Burger’s scheduled last appearance on November 24, and producer Marlis Moosauer has publicly rejected suggestions the changes are about cost cutting.
- Most media reports rely on Duda’s interview with Bild, which has driven coverage and renewed discussion about how older actors are treated on long‑running German TV shows.