Overview

• The May 4 premiere of ZDF-Fernsehgarten, themed around Star Wars, attracted 1.76 million viewers and a 17.4% market share, surpassing last year's figures.
• Andrea Kiewel marked her 25th season as host, a milestone celebrated with standing ovations and nostalgic highlights from her tenure.
• Fans voiced discontent over the heavy Star Wars focus, with some calling it excessive and critiquing the lack of musical performances early in the show.
• ZDF introduced updated safety protocols, including the removal of knives from the set, underscoring heightened security considerations for live events.
• Kiewel faced on-air challenges during a Star Wars quiz, mixing up participant names and game rules, for which she apologized live.