Daniel Hartwich's Self-Proclaimed Overexposure: A Pause from the Spotlight
Briefly justified the reasoning behind the decision made. - Due to its excessive nature, the event was abruptly terminated by the overseer.
Throw the confetti, it's time for a chat!
As we gear up for the debut of his new visual trivia game, "Die perfekte Reihe - Das Bilderquiz" (airing April 28, 9:15 PM on RTL), host Daniel Hartwich (46) steps off his high-horse of stardom. In a rare sit-down with "DWDL.de," he confesses that he's perhaps overshadowed the German TV landscape in the past and is, henceforth, consciously scaling back his involvement in hit shows such as "Das Supertalent" and "Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus!".
"I've said yes to too many things"
For quite some time, Hartwich has worn many hats as the go-to guy for RTL, hosting a plethora of shows on the Cologne-based private broadcaster. Has he been spreading himself too thin? "Looking back, there were probably moments it could've been said that it was too much," shares the host, chuckling. "I can't help but wonder why certain shows weren't handled by other folk. Yes, it was a decision I made to take a step back."
This dual retreat also applies to "Das Supertalent" and the infamous jungle camp. "I'm not as visible anymore," he admits with a shrug, adding that he's perfectly fine with this turn of events. He sums up, "I've probably said yes to more things in the last few years than I should have. Now, viewers can catch their breath and won't have to see me in every show."
Radio Jockey to TV Star, Sick of His Own Voice
Even during his days on the radio, he reached a point where he could barely stomach his own voice. "I was fed up with myself and longed for a break. That's when I moved to TV. In recent years, there were also moments when I thought that this or that show could've been produced by someone else on a particular evening. It's not the workload, but I was just tired of myself."
However, he cherishes his position with the dance show "Let's Dance," currently entering its 18th season. Hartwich describes it as "a true treasure, not just in terms of reach and content, but also in terms of runtime. We do 14 live shows and 2 recordings each season, plus a seven-and-a-half-week tour this year." The show brings some structure into his year, allowing him to focus on selected side projects.
One of these is now another quiz show. "I've always been intrigued by quizzes, and it's not my first quiz format," the father of two elucidates. However, he won't challenge quiz legend Jörg Pilawa (59). "We're talking about a man who probably has 25,000 quiz shows under his belt and has been hosting quizzes for ages. In the quiz genre, Jörg Pilawa is the boss." Nevertheless, he hopes for large viewership numbers, as the recordings of "Die perfekte Reihe" were a hoot. "And of course, nobody starts a new show without dreaming of success - and possibly running more often in the future. Whether I'll end up as quiz uncle remains to be seen."
Back to the Jungle? Not Likely
While he can do without "Das Supertalent", Daniel Hartwich harbors a fondness for the canceled show "It Takes 2" (2017). "It was a fantastic singing format featuring a live band in the studio, celebrities singing with male and female musicians, and it brought me immense joy. It was a bit of a blow when the show didn't continue."
Can you envision Daniel Hartwich, who co-hosted the jungle camp with Sonja Zietlow (56) from 2013 to 2022, contemplating a stint in the bush? He snickers and answers, "Say never." However, he admits that, if things went south, his jungle existence would be "miserable." "I'd be tortured relentlessly for every insensitive comment I've made and every questionable decision I've made, and rightly so," the 46-year-old believes. "The thought of Sonja and Jan whispering about me as they watch me squabble over the last bean with two reality TV contestants... I don't fancy that."
- Daniel Hartwich has admitted that he has perhaps overshadowed the German TV landscape in the past and is consciously scaling back his involvement in hit shows.
- In a rare interview, Hartwich shared that he has spread himself too thin and has undertaken more projects than he should have in the past few years.
- Daniel Hartwich, despite scaling back, still cherishes his position as host of the dance show "Let's Dance."
- Hartwich has expressed that he will not challenge quiz legend Jörg Pilawa in the quiz genre, but hopes for large viewership numbers for his new quiz show, "Die perfekte Reihe."
