Overview
- The season airs over 17 primetime live shows on RTL, with the finale scheduled for February 8.
- In a warm-up viewer poll, Mirja du Mont led with about 20% of votes, ahead of Hardy Krüger Jr. at 17%.
- RTL says roughly 90% of challenges are newly designed, with an undisclosed rules tweak to be announced in the opening broadcast.
- Arrivals included minor hiccups, with Nicole Belstler-Boettcher leaving cat food at customs and Claudia Obert’s partner catching his flight after realizing he’d forgotten his passport.
- Health scares did not alter the lineup, as Umut Tekin flew after a December ER visit and Hubert Fella postponed knee surgery; debate over Gil Ofarim’s participation remains active.