The time had come again on Wednesday evening: The German Television Awards were presented. Barbara Schöneberger (51) hosted the grand TV gala at the MMC Studios (ZDF) with the presentation of 18 work categories. The day before, during the ‘Night of the Creatives’ hosted by Gisa Flake (39), winners in the creative individual achievement categories had already been honored. The most exciting moment came during the family duel in the category ‘Best Reality Entertainment’: Tom and Bill Kaulitz emerged victorious against wife and sister-in-law Heidi Klum.

The second season of their Netflix show ‘Kaulitz & Kaulitz’, which follows the Tokio Hotel musicians in their luxurious lifestyle, prevailed over ‘Germany’s next Topmodel – by Heidi Klum’ (ProSieben). However, neither the Kaulitz twins nor Klum were present at the venue. Instead, the brothers were connected from LA and celebrated in style with champagne. ‘I would love to go club-hopping with Günther Jauch,’ Bill Kaulitz lamented, coaxing a smile from the also-nominated host. Heidi Klum was still present in a way: Tom Kaulitz wore a T-shirt with a photo of his wife – showing her middle finger. ‘Germany’s next Topmodel’ had at least won its first television award ever the day before for ‘Best Entertainment Set Design’.

Joko and Klaas Deliver Best Entertainment

Overall, at the 26th edition of one of Germany’s most important media awards, productions from the fields of fiction, entertainment, information, and sports that were broadcast between July 2024 and June 2025 were honored. The German Television Award is sponsored by ARD, ZDF, RTL, Sat.1, and MagentaTV. An independent expert jury decided on the winners.

In the category ‘Best Entertainment Show’, Joko Winterscheidt and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf won for ‘Ein sehr gutes Quiz (mit hoher Gewinnsumme)’ (ProSieben). They also couldn’t accept the award in person but were connected from the studio where they are currently filming again. ‘This is the first award where Klaas has hugged me,’ Winterscheidt rejoiced. Teddy Teclebrhan won ‘Best Host/Individual Performance Entertainment’ for his episode of ‘Wer stiehlt mir die Show?’ (ProSieben). He wasn’t present live either but was connected from Mexico.

‘Krank Berlin’ Largely Comes Away Empty-Handed

‘Krank Berlin’ (ZDF/Apple TV+) entered the competition with the most nominations. The hospital series won the award in the category ‘Best Drama Series’. However, in the categories ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Actor’, the main actors had to concede to Maria Furtwängler (‘Bis zur Wahrheit’, ARD) and Leonard Kunz respectively. The latter won for the film ‘Ein Mann seiner Klasse’ (ARD), which also received the award for ‘Best Television Film/Mini-Series’.

Kunz was also only connected remotely, as was Tom Schilling, who could celebrate the award for ‘Best Comedy Series’ as the lead actor in ‘Achtsam Morden’ (Netflix) – but was already filming season 2. In the category ‘Best Comedy/Late Night’, Ina Müller triumphed for the third time with ‘Inas Nacht’ (ARD). She herself couldn’t be present either, as she ‘unfortunately caught something’, her team explained.

Tim Mälzer Advocates for More Inclusion

It became touching during the presentation of the award for ‘Best Factual Entertainment’: It went to Tim Mälzer and André Dietz for their ‘Herbstresidenz’ (Vox), in which people with disabilities support seniors in nursing homes. On stage, Mälzer appealed to cherish time with loved ones and advance inclusion.

The ‘Penny DEL’ (MagentaTV) was delighted to receive the television award for ‘Best Sports Program’. In the category ‘Best Information’, the parliamentary coverage on phoenix won, while ’37°Leben: Against All Gods – Die Glaubens-WG’ (ZDF) delivered the ‘Best Infotainment’. ‘Systemfehler: Der Cum-Ex-Skandal’ (ZDF) received the award in the category ‘Best Documentary/Report’. Additionally, ‘German Cocaine Cowboy – Der Deutsche im Cali-Kartell’ (Prime Video) won as ‘Best Documentary Series’ and Burkhard Kress for ‘EXTRA Spezial: Krebs – Warum meine Diagnose Ihr Leben ändern kann’ (RTL) as ‘Best Host/Individual Performance Information’. ‘Of course, this award is somehow bittersweet. But I am very, very happy,’ emphasized the ill RTL host.

Lifetime Achievement Award for Otto Waalkes

The advancement award went to Samuel Benito (25) for ‘Zeit Verbrechen – Folge: Dezember’. More than 50 years of age difference separated the young actor from the winner of the founders’ lifetime achievement award: This went to comedian Otto Waalkes (77) for his life’s work. The comedy veteran accepted the award in person and was celebrated with a standing ovation. ‘I’m touched,’ Otto rejoiced. ”For lifetime achievement’ sounds somewhat final to me, and you’re supposed to stop after that. But I don’t want to,’ he clarified and performed a German version of Paul McCartney’s ‘Yesterday’. Afterward, Jan Delay performed ‘Oh Otto’ as a tribute to him, and Marius Müller-Westernhagen picked up his friend in a golf cart.

Even before the ceremony, the comedians showed their reverence for the lifetime achievement award winner on the red carpet and emphasized his influence on their own careers. ‘I played his cassettes so loud that my parents’ upstairs neighbors rang the doorbell,’ Matze Knop told the news agency spot on news. Bastian Pastewka had a similar experience: ‘I found him fantastic as a child, he brought me a lot of joy. And above all, I owned every Otto record and listened to them up and down multiple times’. Therefore, both are particularly happy to applaud Otto – and ‘every ‘Holladahiti!’ is justified today’.

Bill and Tom Kaulitz couldn’t accept the award in person but celebrated with champagne. © Andreas Rentz/Getty Images