ARD Zurich-Krimi Leads Night as ZDF’s Zarrella Christmas Show Draws 2.9 Million and Record Donations

Overview

• Industry data cited by DWDL show the ZDF special captured a 13.3% market share with 2.9 million viewers, topping RTL’s primetime entry.
• ARD’s Der Zürich-Krimi was the most-watched program of the evening with about 6.3 million viewers.
• Phoenix Reisen CEO Johannes Zurnieden boosted the on-air tally by more than €1.2 million, bringing the final sum to €3.66 million.
• The charity broadcast supported Brot für die Welt and Misereor, with celebrities answering donation calls throughout the show.
• RTL’s Menschen, Bilder, Emotionen 2025, hosted by Steffen Hallaschka and featuring Boris Becker, trailed in the ratings.