Overview
- ProSieben confirmed Friday that it will not broadcast a live HeidiFest in 2026 and will instead cover Oktoberfest through its regular magazine shows.
- The decision follows the 2025 premiere's weak performance in the key 14–49 TV demo, which was reported as roughly a 5.9 percent market share.
- ProSieben chief Hannes Hiller previously defended the show by pointing to large social-media reach and said he directly spoke with Heidi Klum after the broadcast.
- Klum reportedly contacted the Hofbräuhaus to reserve the traditional pre‑Oktoberfest Thursday and the venue now appears fully booked on that date, so a private party or a new broadcast partner could still stage an event.
- The move highlights a wider tension for broadcasters between online buzz and ad-driven TV economics, and it may make networks more cautious about funding costly live spectacles that do not deliver target-demo ratings.