Overview

• Bilal Bahadır and Çağdaş Yüksel announced via Instagram that they are returning their Grimme awards for the ZDF series “Uncivilized.”
• The creators accuse the institute of silence over the Judith Scheytt dispute, saying it tolerated outside influence on an independent jury and damaged the institution’s reputation.
• The institute expressed regret over the decision, said the criticism targets the wrong body, and emphasized the strict separation from the Verein der Freunde des Adolf-Grimme-Preises.
• The Verein revoked Scheytt’s special honor after a reanalysis that criticized terminology seen as downplaying terror violence and fostering antisemitic narratives, a move taken despite dissent within the jury.
• Verein chief Jörg Schieb acknowledged scrutiny failures and proposed suspending the Donnepp Media Award in 2026 pending member approval, as protests continue with main-prize winner Annika Schneider returning her award and Scheytt reporting detention in Israel after joining a Gaza aid flotilla.