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Wer wird Millionär?’ Easter Specials Draw Viewer Backlash as 91-Year-Old Sets Show Record

New gimmicks skewed the quiz toward spectacle, raising doubts about authenticity.

Overview

  • RTL’s Easter editions used surprise summons that put unsuspecting people on the hot seat, including a live video call that brought 86-year-old Elisabeth Jakubowski back to play.
  • Reiner Spänkuch, 91, became the show’s oldest contestant and left with €16,000 after being secretly entered and picked from the studio audience.
  • Viewers on X accused the specials of being scripted and pointed to a segment with contestant Bianka Raab and her ex-partner, which included a duet, as contrived.
  • Günther Jauch faced pushback from some fans who said he made questions too easy and was “giving away” money.
  • The specials added an extra “surprise joker,” reinforcing a shift from straight quizzing to showmanship that split audience reaction.