Overview
- Season 19 begins 23 January with 17 daily live episodes from Australia, hosted by Sonja Zietlow and Jan Köppen.
- RTL addressed boycott calls on Instagram, saying Gil Ofarim “has legally answered for his false accusations” and that viewers can judge his present handling during the show.
- Production confirmed Claudia Obert will travel to Australia as Eva Benetatou’s companion and stay off-site in a Surfers Paradise hotel.
- Media list a 12-person lineup—including Gil Ofarim, Samira Yavuz, Eva Benetatou, Mirja du Mont and Hardy Krüger Jr.—with pre-show friction highlighted between Yavuz and Benetatou.
- Mirja du Mont frames her participation as a personal test amid a long-term panic and anxiety disorder, while ARD expert Susanne Klehn warns Hardy Krüger Jr.’s move could be risky for his acting career.